Manchester is worst in Europe for self harm
Manchester has the highest rates of self harm in Europe, a new study has found.
Research carried our between 1989 and 2003 has revealed that the UK has very high rates of self harm compared to the rest of Europe, with women consistently more likely to self harm.
In Manchester, 540 out of every 100,000 women self harmed each year, according to the Network for International Collaboration on Evidence in Suicide Prevention. This was followed by Oxford, with 416 women per 100,000.
The lowest rate of self harm among women was found in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with 72 women per 100,000.
The research clearly found however that self harm is not just a female problem. Among men, 422 per 100,000 self-harmed in Manchester, and 309 per 100,000 in Oxford. Men were also found to be most at risk of self-harming repeatedly.
The study is being presented at a leading conference on suicide hosted jointly by the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling.
Professor Stephen Platt, director of the Research Unit in Health, Behaviour and Change at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This latest research confirms we have a serious problem of self harm in the UK, particularly among women. Although we have made excellent progress in improving support services, we still have a long way to go.”
According to the Mental Health Foundation, the majority of people who self-harm are under 25, with feelings of isolation, academic pressures and low self esteem being common triggers.
