The Changing Gender Ratio in Occurrence of Deliberate Self-Harm Across the Lifecycle

Analysis was done of the gender ratio by age groups in rates of deliberate self-harm in a consecutive sample of deliberate self-harm patients presenting to a general hospital over a 10-year period. The study sample included 2,189 female & 1,439 male patients. While the overall gender ratio was 1.5 females to each male, the ratio varied considerably by age group: 8:1 in 10-14-year olds, 3.1:1 in 15-19-year-olds, 1.6:1 in 20-24-year-olds, approximately 1.3:1 in 25-49-year-olds, & 0.8:1 in people aged 50 & older. Changes probably reflect differences in development & problems faced in adolescence, changes in motivation with age, & the closer resemblance of deliberate self-harm to suicide in older age groups. (32 refs.)