Suicides rise after Diana's death
A rise in the suicide rate in England and Wales followed the
funeral of Diana, Princess of
Wales, three years ago, a new
study shows. The University of
Oxford Centre for Suicide
Research found that the overall
suicide rate in England and
Wales rose by 17% in the four
weeks after her funeral, compared with the average reported
for that period in the four previous years (British Journal of Psychiatry 2000;177:469-72).
Candles are lit at the makeshift monument for Diana, Princess of Wales, in Paris on the eve of the first anniversary of her death (AP PHOTO/ LIONEL CIRONNEAU)
The number of people taking
their lives in this period increased
by 40, but the impact was greatest
on women, particularly women
closest in age to Diana herself,
who died at 37. The rate of suicide
in women increased some 34% in
the month after Diana's death,
and in women aged 25-44 the
rate increased by over 45%. The
researchers suggest an "identification" factor partly explains the
findings-the kind of people who
most identified with the princess
were most affected by her death.
It might be that women close
to her in age and who identified
with her relationship and psychological difficulties became
more pessimistic about their own
ability to conquer similar problems. Particularly intriguing was
the finding from the national
confidential inquiry into suicide
and homicide by people with
mental illness that there was no
change during this period in the
proportion of suicides known to
mental health professionals.
Full story in Web Extra
Raj Persaud, London
studentBMJ 2000;08:435-476 December ISSN 0966-6494
