Parasuicid blant unge i Sør-Trøndelag: Insidens og utdanningsstatus

The objectives of the present study were to calculate the incidence of parasuicide among young people (16-19 years) in a representative Norwegian county (Sør-Trøndelag; 250,000 inhabitants), to compare the results with what has been found elsewhere in Europe and to ask whether an association exists between educational status and incidence of parasuicide. A total of 63 young parasuicide patients were registered in medical treatment facilities during the study period (1 October 1988 to 15 July 1990). The male rates were 87 per 100,000 in 1988/89 and 101 per 100,000 in 1989/90, and the female rates were 180 per 100,000 in 1988/89 and 384 in 1989/90. Results from other centres participating in the WHO (Euro) study on parasuicide indicate that the parasuicide rates found in the Nordic areas are of a relatively high rank and that the rates in Sør-Trøndelag are at an average level. The rates of parasuicide among students were significantly lower than those found among non-students. Consequently, school-based programs do not seem to be sufficient in the prevention of suicidal behaviour among young persons.