On Tuesday 08 March 2016 The Public Health Agency (PHA) launched three new research studies which aim to reduce suicide and parental alcohol misuse. The studies are part of the PHA’s Research and Development (R&D) Division’s commissioned programmes and were carried out by researchers in the Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing at Ulster University and at Queen’s University Belfast.
Key findings from the suicide prevention research include that almost half of those who died by suicide in Northern Ireland had made a previous suicide attempt or had a history of suicidal thoughts. The research shows rates were higher in Belfast and other larger towns than other areas of Northern Ireland.
Deprivation and relationship problems were identified as key risk factors and there appears to be an association between alcohol use, abuse and effects of intoxication on suicidal behaviour.
The summary reports can be found at: www.research.hscni.net/publications
