Citation

Isaac M, Bennett J. Public Health Medicine 2005; 6(1): 19-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide by jumping at Beachy Head is a common occurrence- this study compared deaths between 1987-2001 to those which occurred between 1965-1979. An exploration of the impact of restriction of accessibility of the site during the Foot and Mouth crisis in England revealed no deaths by jumping between January and June 2001 when Beachy Head was inaccessible by car. The method was a retrospective study of coroners reports, the setting the county archives in Newhaven, East Sussex. Suicides at Beachy Head between 1987-2001 had increased by 85% since 1965-1979. More males (70.896) compared to females committed suicide at Beachy Head and the majority (67.6%) came from areas other than East Sussex (the local area). More than half (60.6%) had a history of mental health problems. The suicide numbers are rising at Beachy Head and the characteristics of those who have died do not match the national picture The greatest proportion of male deaths were in the age group 35-44 years and for females 25-34 years. The Local suicide rate for East Sussex residents is rising and also does not mirror the national trend. The high proportion with documented antecedent mental health problems and contact with their GP and psychiatric services suggested that perhaps better treatment for people with mental illness may have prevented some of the suicides(by jumping) at Beachy Head. This study also shows that restricting access to a jumping spot can reduce the suicide figure from this spot to zero successfully and when access is reinstated the suicides resume.

Language: en

Keywords

Prevention; suicide; Suicide; United Kingdom; Mental health; prevalence; mortality; Jumping; article; mental disease; physician; marriage; priority journal; mental health service; jumping; employment; psychiatric treatment; Access; foot and mouth disease; restriction mapping