Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

A total of 5,017 young people aged 15 to 29 died in the European Union as a result of intentional self-harm. According to figures published by Eurostat in Brussels, this represents a 20% decrease (-1,248 deaths) compared to 2011. The data show that in this age group (15-29 years), more than one in six deaths were recorded as intentional self-harm, while the proportion of self-harm among other causes of death in the general population was one in 100. For young people, self-harm was the second most common cause of death, after accidents.
According to available data by age, people in their twenties were more likely to die from intentional self-harm than their younger peers. The highest suicide mortality rate among young people in the EU was recorded among those aged 25–29, with an overall mortality rate of 8.3 deaths per 100,000 people, and 7.7 deaths among those aged 20–24. Among those aged 15–19, the overall mortality rate was 4.4 deaths.
Since 2011, overall mortality rates associated with intentional self-harm have declined. Among those aged 25–29, the rate decreased by 1.2 percentage points, from 9.5 percentage points in 2011, while among those aged 20–24, it decreased by 1.1 percentage points, from 8.8 percentage points. Among those aged 15–19, the variation was less pronounced, decreasing by 0.4 percentage points, from 4.8 percentage points. The crude death rate associated with intentional self-harm is higher in the general population than in young people, even as its weight among other causes of death is significantly lower.
This news coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September.
Deaths from suicide in the European Union saw a year-on-year increase in 2022.
In 2022, 49,042 deaths from suicide were recorded among residents of all ages in the EU, corresponding to a standardized mortality rate of 10.6 deaths per 100,000 population.
Compared to 2021, the number of deaths from intentional self-harm in the general population increased by 1,696, corresponding to a standardized mortality rate of 10.24 deaths per 100,000 population. However, compared to 2011, the first year for which data are available, the number of deaths from self-harm decreased by 10% (-5,581 deaths). In 2011, the EU standardized suicide mortality rate was 12.4 deaths per 100,000 population.
Among EU countries, Slovenia had the highest standardized suicide mortality rate in 2022, at 18.3 deaths per 100,000 population, followed by Lithuania (18.2) and Hungary (16.7). At the other end of the scale, Cyprus had the lowest standardized suicide mortality rates (4.1 deaths per 100,000 population), ahead of Greece (4.6) and Malta (5.2).