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6. Slight increase in the number of suicides from the year before

The number of suicides has decreased relatively evenly since 1990, when more than 1,500 suicides were committed in Finland. Over the past ten years, the number of suicides has decreased by one third among women and by nearly one quarter among men. In 2016, altogether 787 persons committed suicides, which was over 50 cases more than in the previous year but almost the same number as in 2014.

Men committed clearly more suicides than women. More than three-quarters of suicides were committed by men. In 2016, suicide mortality or the number of suicides a year per 100,000 population was 14, being 23 for men and six for women (Figure 12). Men’s suicides are, however, more evenly divided between different age groups than women’s. In suicides committed by women, those committed by young people aged under 25 are more emphasised than among men even though the average age at the time of committing suicide is 49 for both women and men.

Suicides are a central cause of death for young people. Among the causes of death for young people aged 15 to 24, the share of suicides is one third. The share of suicides in the causes of death for young people is high because other mortality among young people is low. The share of persons aged under 25 among all those having committed suicide was relatively low, 13 per cent.

Young people's suicide mortality in Finland is high by European comparison. According to Eurostat's statistics for 2014, the suicide mortality among young people aged 20 to 24 was higher than in Finland only in Lithuania, Ireland and Latvia. By contrast, for persons aged 65 and over, suicide mortality in Finland did not differ from the EU average.

Figure 12. Suicides mortality 1971 to 2016

Source: Causes of death, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Airi Pajunen 029 551 3605, Jari Hellanto 029 551 3291, Kati Taskinen 029 551 3648, kuolemansyyt@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 29.12.2017