FUNDAMENTAL FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH 2016

Risk factors
• Non-fatal self-harm is the strongest
risk factor for subsequent suicide;
a 2014 systematic review found
that 1 in 25 patients presenting to
hospital for self-harm will die by
suicide within five years, 95 while a
2013 literature review found that up
to 16% of survivors try again within
a year, with 2% of repeat attempts
being fatal. 96
• Employment status was associated
with suicidal thoughts, suicide
attempts and self-harm in workingage
adults (i.e. 16–64 years). This
was strongest for men, with higher
rates being reported among those
who were economically inactive. 97 •
•
Two thirds (66.4%) of people in
receipt of ESA had thought about
taking their life, almost half (43.2%)
had made a suicide attempt, and a
third (33.5%) reported self-harming,
indicating that this is a population
in great need of support. People in
receipt of other benefits also had
higher rates of suicidal thoughts,
suicide attempts and self-harm than
those not in receipt of these benefits
(see Figure 1i). 98
Living alone was found to be a
predictor of suicidal thoughts, with
people under 60 who lived alone
being found to be more likely to
have suicidal thoughts than those of
the same age who were living with
others. 99
Base: aged 16-64
Men
Women
% 25
20
15
10
5
0
Employed Unemployed Economically inactive
Employment status
Figure 1i: Suicide attempts by employment status
McManus, S., Hassiotis, A., Jenkins, R., Dennis, M., Aznar, C., & Appleby, L. (2016). Chapter 12: Suicidal
thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm. In S. McManus, P. Bebbington, R. Jenkins, & T. Brugha (Eds.),
Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014. Leeds: NHS Digital.
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