10% of people under 35 have attempted to take their own life – survey

Some 10% of people under the age of 35 have attempted to take their own life, a new Healthy Ireland survey has found.

This is compared with less than 1% of those aged 65 or older having attempted suicide.

The survey, which is run on an annual basis, gives a picture of the health of the nation and reports on many lifestyle behaviours including smoking, alcohol consumption, weight, oral health and utilisation of health services.

The data on suicide attempts was self-completed online by 4,281 people.

The survey found that 67% know someone who had died by suicide, with 14% knowing someone close to them who has died in this way.

Those aged between 45 and 64 are most likely to know someone who has died by suicide, compared with 58% of those aged under 25, and 61% of those aged between 25 and 34.

Just over a quarter of people aged 45-54 know someone close to them who has died by suicide, compared with 15% of those aged under 25.

Almost three quarters of those living in Munster and Connacht/Ulster know someone who has died by suicide.

This compares with 59% of those living in Dublin and 69% of those living in the rest of Leinster.

Just over a quarter report that the person they know who most recently died by suicide was a friend, 25% identify them as an acquaintance and 23% identify them as an extended family member. Some 4% identify a person who was an immediate family member.

Some 8% of those who know someone who has died by suicide report that the death had a significant or devastating effect on them that they still feel.

Some 6% of respondents report that they have attempted to take their own life at some point in the past.

The survey also found that 15% of people described their general health as fair or bad, and 9% of those with a long-standing illness or health problem report making an attempt to take their own life.

Meanwhile, it was also revealed that there has been a decline in drinking frequency among 35 to 44-year-olds.

Just over half of drinkers in this age group drink at least once a week, with 26% doing so multiple times a week.

This compares with 60% and 36% respectively in 2021.

Drinking frequency among those aged 65 and older has increased since 2021.

Roughly two-thirds of drinkers aged over 65 drink alcohol at least once a week. Among the youngest age group, 38% of drinkers aged under 25 drink this frequently.

Some 13% of drinkers report they drink more now than they did at the start of Covid-19 restrictions in March 2020.

Just over half report drinking the same as prior to the restrictions, and 33% report that they now drink less. The comparative figures in the 2021 survey were 13%, 44% and 42% respectively.

Some 32% of those who consumed alcohol in the previous six months are considered binge drinkers. This is higher than was measured last year, but remains behind the levels of binge drinking measured in 2018 at 37%.

This means that 22% of the population are categorised as binge drinkers, compared with 20% in 2021, and 28% in 2018.

As with previous waves, men are more likely to binge drink than women.

However, the gender gap in binge drinking has returned to pre-pandemic levels having narrowed considerably in the 2021 survey with men at 35% and women 10%.

Drinkers aged under 25 remain more likely than other drinkers to binge drink on a typical drinking occasion.

However, while the proportion of men in this age group who binge drink on a typical drinking occasion has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the proportion of women who do so remains lower.

Some 13% of those who binge drink on a typical drinking occasion report that children aged under 16 are present on at least some of these occasions. 27% of parents who binge drink report the same – 29% of fathers and 24% of mothers.

The survey also revealed that 18% of the population are current smokers, with 14% smoking daily and 4% smoking occasionally.

The proportion of daily smokers (14%) has declined from 16% in 2021, to return to pre-pandemic levels, as seen in the 2019 survey.

A four-point increase (to 24%) in the proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds who smoke means that smoking prevalence in this age group has returned to the same level reported in the 2019 survey.

They are again the age group most likely to smoke, as was the case in all survey waves between 2015 and 2019.

Men are more likely to smoke than women. In the youngest age group (15-24), 19% of men and 14% of women are current smokers.

Smoking rates remain higher for those who are unemployed at 39% than those in employment at 19%.

They also remain higher among those who have not completed the Leaving Certificate at 21% than those with a Leaving Certificate or higher at 17%.

Almost a third of smokers, and 39% of ex-smokers, report having a long-standing illness or health problem. This compares with 27% of those who have never smoked.

A sizeable difference in frequency of GP visits exists between ex-smokers and those who have never smoked.

Ex-smokers are more likely than those who have never smoked both to have visited a GP during the previous 12 months at 77% and 69% respectively, and have more regular visits.

A fifth of smokers report that they now smoke more compared with before the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is a decline from 28% in the 2021 survey.