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Decrease in suicides in B.C. continued in 2017
The BC Coroners Service has published an updated report on suicide deaths in B.C. up to the end of 2017.
There were 572 deaths by suicide in 2017, down slightly from the previous three years, which all reported more than 600 deaths by suicide. More than half of those who died by suicide in 2017 were aged 30-59 years old and males accounted for three-quarters of all suicides in that year.
Rates of suicide deaths are highest in the following health service delivery areas: Northeast (26.8 per 100,000 individuals), Kootenay Boundary (20.7 per 100,000 individuals), Thompson-Cariboo (18.6 per 100,000 individuals), East Kootenay (18.0 per 100,000 individuals) and Northern Interior (16.9 per 100,000 individuals).
Key findings of this report include:
* The three most common means of suicide death in 2017 were by hanging (225), involving firearms (97) and poisoning (84).
* The Northern Health Authority had the highest rate of suicide deaths (17.7 deaths per 100,000 individuals), followed by the Interior Health Authority (16.7 deaths per 100,000 individuals).
* Almost four per cent of the deaths involved children (aged 18 years or younger).
Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC.
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