Highland suicide rate remains ‘significantly higher’ than Scottish average, says National Records of Scotland
Suicide rates in the Highlands remain “significantly higher” than the Scottish average but are comparable to last year, new figures from the National Records of Scotland have revealed.
There were 45 probable suicides recorded across the Highland Council area in 2023, up from 42 in 2022 and 40 in 2021, but well down from the 67 recorded as recently as 2019.
Scotland-wide there were 792 such deaths in 2023, up 30 from 2022’s figure.
The five-year average per 100,000 people, meanwhile, stood at 20.5 for the Highland Council area for the period from 2019 to 2023 - up from the Scottish figure of 14.6.
The Highland five-year average rate was second highest of all of Scotland’s council areas, behind only Dundee City’s figure of 21.1, with Orkney third at 19.5 - although the latter's smaller population size meant there was much greater uncertainty as to the true mortality rate and a far higher margin for error than the other two.
Moray had the fifth highest figure, with 18.7 probable suicides per 100,000 people.
Scotland-wide, in 2023, the number of male suicides increased by 34 to 590, while female suicides decreased by four to 202 deaths. The rate of suicide in males was over three times as high as the rate for females.
The average age of death for suicides has increased overall, from 41.9 in the year 2000 to 46.6 in 2023.
Responding to the new figures, Phillipa Haxton, head of vital events statistics at the National Records of Scotland, said: “The rate of suicide mortality has been consistently higher for males, and over the last 30 years it has been around three times as high as the female rate.
“There were 2.5 times more deaths by suicide in the most deprived areas of Scotland than in the least deprived areas.
“Remote small towns have had the highest suicide rates for most of the last decade, with the lowest rates being found in large urban areas.”
At a local level, the National Records of Scotland said that statistically the rate was “significantly higher” than the Scottish average in the likes of Dundee and the Highlands - but similar to the previous year.
Comparable suicide statistics for the rest of the UK for 2023 are yet to be released. However, based on 2022 data, Scotland had the highest rate of suicide deaths of all countries in the UK at 14 deaths per 100,000 people. This was followed by Wales with 12.5 deaths per 100,000, Northern Ireland with 12.3 deaths per 100,000, then England with 10.5 deaths per 100,000.
Responding to the new figures, Suicide Prevention Scotland’s national delivery lead Haylis Smith said: “The fact that 792 people died by suicide is a stark reminder we still have so much more to do - and we are determined to keep working together do it.
“We don’t just think about the number of people who die by suicide on this day in August, they are in our thoughts every day – they help drive us to do this work – to try to help prevent future deaths.
“Every death by suicide is one too many and we need to continue to build our understanding of what we need to do and how we need to do it by listening to the experts, those who study and research suicide and people who have lived and living experience.
“We’ll use that understanding to help us develop and deliver more action that will save lives.”
Nadine Dougall, Professor of Mental Health and Data Science at Edinburgh Napier University and a member of the Suicide Prevention Scotland Academic Advisory Group said: “Each death by suicide is an enormous tragedy, leaving devastating and lasting impacts on families, friends, and communities.
“Suicide is complex and rarely caused by a single factor, needing a whole-population approach to prevention.
“While reducing deaths by suicide is essential, it is also crucial to understand long-term trends and the influence of various factors to guide effective suicide prevention efforts.
“Notably, deaths by suicide among men aged 35-44 have increased, with the suicide rate reaching 44.3 per 100,000 people - the highest since 2011. This calls for further investigation to focus suicide prevention activities. Although there have been some gains in reducing inequality in suicide rates, much more needs to be done to sustain and improve these efforts.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or feeling suicidal, please don’t hesitate to ask for help by contacting your GP, NHS24 on 111, Samaritans on 116 123, Breathing Space on 0800 83 58 87 or texting Mikeysline on 07786 207755.