London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Tottenham 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]
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6
Suicides
In 1963 eighteen inhabitants of Tottenham died by their own hand. The suicide
rate for the Borough over the past five years has been 15.0 per hundred thousand which
compares with the national average of ll.J. However, in view of small numbers
involved locally, the difference may not be regarded as statistically significant.
To gain some idea of the importance of the problem, it is useful to compare the
number of deaths due to this cause with other causes (1962).
Tottenham England & Wales
Suicide 16 5,589
Motor Vehicle Accidents 16 6,306
Diabetes 10 3,811
Tuberculosis 5 3,08 8
Cancer of the Lung 88 23,779
Suicide cases over the past 5 years broken down for age and sex.
| 0-24 | 25-44 | 45-64 | 65-74 | 75- | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | ||
| 1959 | - | - | 4 | - | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | - | 1959 | 15 | 5 |
| 1960 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1960 | 7 | 6 |
| 1961 | 1 | - | 6 | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | - | 1961 | 12 | 6 |
| 1962 | - | - | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1962 | 7 | 9 |
| 1963 | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | 7 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 1963 | 15 | 3 |
| 4 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 56 | 29 | ||
These figures show that suicide is commoner amongst people over the age of 4-5.
Moreover, it is commoner in males than females. (This discrepancy is still greater
when it is remembered that in the general population females aged 55 to 64 exceed
males by approximately 6 to 5, and over 65 by 10 to six).
Two other well recognised features are of interest. Firstly, there was a
reduction in the number of suicides during the war years. Secondly, for any given
country the number of deaths due to suicide remain fairly stable over many years.
From country to country there are considerable variations,
Thus for every 100,000 of the population the following figures are examples.
England & Wales 11.3
Northern Ireland 5.0
Scotland 7.9
U.S.A. 10.5
Austria 21.9
Sweden 16.9
Ireland 3.2
These figures indicate a situation locally and nationally which is far from
satisfactory. In addition to the loss of life involved the occurence of suicide in a
family is still the cause of considerable stigma. It is evident that many deaths as
well as unsuccessful attempts of suicide are due more to a "state of mind" than to an
ordinary disease process.