Background: United Nation’s goal of a 33% reduction in suicide mortality by 2030 was introduced in 2015. After more than 15 years of not having a national plan for suicide prevention, it seems that the Danish Parliament will pass a bill for a national plan in 2024. An updated surveyance system may help identify high risk groups and monitor on-going efforts. The aim of this study is to present the findings from the monitoring system FORSAM
Data and methods: National register data on all individuals living in Denmark at some point during 1st of January to 31st of December, 2000-2022 were obtained. The outcomes of interest were suicide, suicide attempt, bereaved by suicide and affected by suicide attempt. Incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 person years with respect to sex, age group, calendar year, socio-demographic, health-related factors as well as recent stressors. Further, rates were presented at various geographical levels (national, regional, health cluster, municipal).
Results: The age-standardised suicide rate decreased from 12.0 suicides to 11.4 per 100.000 inhabitants between 2015-2022; equivalent of a 5.6% decrease. In the FORSAM-database, suicide/suicide attempt rates are available by geographical units, thus, enabling a comparison between, for instance, municipalities. Rates by socio-economic groups reveal that suicide are most frequent among retired and recipients of disability pensions. Approximately 49% of those who died by suicide had previously been in psychiatric treatment (Figure 1). In all, 30.6 (n=20,809) individuals per 100,000 inhabitants experienced a bereavement by suicide of a close relative during 2000-2021. Of those, 24% were below 29 years when bereaved. Most of those who were bereaved had lost a partner (36%). A total of 91,5 (n=62,263) individuals per 100,000 experienced a suicide attempt of a close relative. Of those experiencing a suicide attempt in a close relative, 48% were below 29 years of age at the time of the event. It was most frequently a sister (30%) or a daughter (20%) who had had a suicide attempt.
Conclusion: Half-way toward the year of 2030, only a marginal decrease has been observed in the Danish suicide rate. Almost half of those who died by suicide had never been seen at psychiatric clinics. Being able to present figures for individuals bereaved by suicide or affected by suicide attempt will help emphasize the problems that these groups face.