Suicide Rates in Nordic Prisons 2000–2016

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Britt Reuter Morthorst
  • Lars Mehlum
  • Sigurdur P. Pàlsson
  • Charlotte Mühlmann
  • Yngve Hammerlin
  • Trine Madsen
  • Nordentoft, Merete
  • Annette Erlangsen

Objective: To compare suicide rates of people in prison and the general population in the Nordic countries. Methods: Data on deaths by suicide and person-years for people in prison and the general population were obtained for the Nordic countries during 2000–2016. Age-standardized rate ratios were calculated. Results: The suicide rate in the Nordic countries overall was 110.1 (95% CI = 98.1, 122.2) per 100,000 person-years for people in prison. A significant decline was noted for the suicide rate of people in prison between 2000 and 2016 (p< 0.0001). The age-standardized mortality ratio was 7.4 (95% CI = 5.9–8.2) for males and 17.8 (95% CI = 7.3–33.2) for females in Denmark, Iceland, and Norway. Conclusion: Despite a decreasing trend over time, excess suicide mortality was noted for people in prison.

Original languageEnglish
JournalArchives of Suicide Research
Volume25
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)704-714
ISSN1381-1118
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

ID: 261447431