Self-harm among girls aged 13 to 16 rose by 68% in three years, UK study finds
Self-harm reported to GPs among teenage girls under the age of 17 in the UK increased by 68% over just three years, research has revealed.
The study also found that selfharm among young people aged 10-19 was three times more common among girls than boys, with those who self-harmed at much greater risk of suicide than those who did not.
“One of the big messages here is that self-harm is complex – it is about schools, it is about families, it is about health professionals [and] teachers all working together trying to tackle the problem,” said Nav Kapur, professor of psychiatry and population health at the University of Manchester, and a co-author of the study.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, Kapur and colleagues describe how they looked at data from 674 GP practices across the UK to explore the rates of self-harm among 10-19 year-olds.
The results reveal that annually between 2001 and 2014, on average across 10- to 19-year-olds, 37.4 girls per 10,000 and just over 12 boys per 10,000 reported their first episode of self-harm. Repeat episodes of selfharm were more common among girls.
The study also found self-harming to be more common among children and teenagers living in deprived areas. Such youngsters were less likely to be referred to mental health services within 12 months of their first incident than those in more affluent areas.
Further analysis using additional data revealed that youngsters who self-harmed were about nine times more likely to die an unnatural death than those who did not, 17 times more likely to die from suicide, and 34 times more likely to die from acute alcohol or drug poisoning.
Strikingly, the team found that, while the incidence of self-harm remained fairly constant between 2001 and 2014 among boys aged 10 to 19, as well as among girls aged 10 to 12, and 17 and older, incidence of reported self-harm among girls aged 13-16 increased 68% between 2011 and 2014.
The findings chime with data from the NHS that recently showed a jump in hospital admissions following self-harm among girls under the age of 17.
However, Dr Praveetha Patalay from the University of Liverpool, who was not involved in the latest study, said that other research based on surveys of youngsters had not shown such increases.
“It is possible that the higher rates in this study reflect better identification, and more young people seeking treatment from GPs and/or higher severity of the selfharming behaviours compared to previous years,” she said.
The authors admit that girls in their early-to-mid teenage years might be more likely than boys to talk to a doctor, and might be more likely to be asked about self-harm.
But, they add, it is unlikely that such factors alone explain the rise in reports of self-harm among 13to 16-year-old girls. “If it was [just down to] greater awareness, then you would expect to see it in girls aged 10-12 and girls aged 17-19,” said Kapur.
While Kapur says it is unclear what is behind the apparent rise, previous research has suggested a growing number of young women are experiencing mental health problems, with contributing factors including worries about appearance.. The rise of social media, and online content around self-harmingt could also play a role, noted the team.
“That is the early period of adolescence where young people are changing most rapidly [and it is] perhaps the most stressful,” said Kapur. “We need to take [this rise] seriously and do something about it,” he said, pointing out that only half of people who present to health services as a result of self-harm get a proper assessment from a mental health professional.
Patalay agreed that the findings of the latest study are cause for concern. “The inequalities in access to specialist treatment uncovered by this research and the poor prognosis for these young people highlights the need for greater resources to help support young people and improve access to treatment,” she said.
In the UK the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
If it was just down to greater awareness, then you would expect to see it in girls aged 10-12 and 17-19