The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) 193: 406-409. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.042598
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow A correction has been published
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by McKenzie, K.
Right arrow Articles by Blizard, B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by McKenzie, K.
Right arrow Articles by Blizard, B.

Suicide rates in people of South Asian origin in England and Wales: 1993–2003

Kwame McKenzie, BM, MRCPsych

Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Canada, and University of Central Lancashire, UK

Kamaldeep Bhui, MD, FRCPsych, DPClinPsych

Centre for Psychiatry, Barts & The London Medical School

Kiran Nanchahal, MSc

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Bob Blizard, MSc

Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, UK

Correspondence: Kwame McKenzie, Social Equity and Health Research, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, Suite 300, 455 Spadina Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2G8, Canada. Email: kwame_mckenzie{at}camh.net

Declaration of interest

K.N. developed the SANGRA software.

*The online Journal has been corrected post-publication in deviation from print and in accordance with these corrections.

Background

Low rates of suicide in older men and high rates in young women have been reported in the South Asian diaspora worldwide. Calculating such suicide rates in the UK is difficult because ethnicity is not recorded on death certificates.

Aims

To calculate the South Asian origin population suicide rates and to assess changes over time using new technology.

Method

Suicide rates in England and Wales were calculated using the South Asian Name and Group Recognition Algorithm (SANGRA) computer software.

Results

The age-standardised suicide rate for men of South Asian origin was lower than other men in England and Wales, and the rate for women of South Asian origin was marginally raised. In aggregated data for 1999–2003 the age-specific suicide rate in young women of South Asian origin was lower than that for women in England and Wales. The suicide rate in those over 65 years was double that of England and Wales.

Conclusions

Older, rather than younger, women of South Asian origin seem to be an at-risk group. Further research should investigate the reasons for these changes and whether these patterns are true for all South Asian origin groups.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Public Health (Oxf)Home page
K. Bhui
The new science of cultural epidemiology to tackle ethnic health inequalities
J. Public Health Med., September 1, 2009; 31(3): 322 - 323.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
V. S. Raleigh
Suicide rates in people of South Asian origin in England and Wales
The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2009; 194(6): 567 - 567.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
P. J. Aspinall
Suicide rates in people of South Asian origin in England and Wales
The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2009; 194(6): 566 - 567.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
K. McKenzie and K. Bhui
Authors' reply
The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2009; 194(6): 567 - 568.
[Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Suicide rates in people of Chinese origin in England and Wales?
Edwin Lee
BJP Online, 27 Nov 2008 [Full text]
Suicide rates in people of South Asian origin in England and Wales
Veena S Raleigh
BJP Online, 10 Feb 2009 [Full text]
Re: Suicide rates in people of South Asian origin in England and Wales: 1993–2003
Peter Aspinall
BJP Online, 10 Feb 2009 [Full text]
South Asian Suicides in the UK
Kwame J McKenzie, et al.
BJP Online, 30 Mar 2009 [Full text]