Hospital-presenting self-harm among older adults living in Ireland: a 13-year trend analysis from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland

Objectives:To examine trends in rates of self-harm among emergency department (ED) presenting older adults in Ireland over a 13-year period.Design:Population-based study using data from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland.Setting:National hospital EDs.Participants:Older adults aged 60 years and over presenting with self-harm to hospital EDs in Ireland between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2019.Measurements:ED self-harm presentations.Results:Between 2007 and 2019, there were 6931 presentations of self-harm in older adults. The average annual self-harm rate was 57.8 per 100,000 among older adults aged 60 years and over. Female rates were 1.1 times higher compared to their male counterparts (61.4 vs 53.9 per 100,000). Throughout the study time frame, females aged 60-69 years had the highest rates (88.1 per 100,000), while females aged 80 years and over had the lowest rates (18.7 per 100,000). Intentional drug overdose was the most commonly used method (75.5%), and alcohol was involved in 30.3% of presentations. Between the austerity and recession years (2007-2012), self-harm presentations were 7% higher compared to 2013-2019 (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.07 95% CI 1.02-1.13, p = 0.01).Conclusions:Findings indicate that self-harm in older adults remains a concern with approximately 533 presentations per year in Ireland. While in younger age groups, females report higher rates of self-harm, this gender difference was reversed in the oldest age group (80 years and over), with higher rates of self-harm among males. Austerity/recession years (2007-2012) had significantly higher rates of self-harm compared to subsequent years.

Automated summary

The study examines trends in self-harm rates among older adults in Ireland over a 13-year period. The findings show that approximately 533 presentations of self-harm occur each year among older adults in Ireland. While females have higher rates of self-harm in younger age groups, this gender difference is reversed in the oldest age group, with higher rates among males. The self-harm rates were significantly higher during the austerity/recession years compared to subsequent years.