Manchester 'worst for self-harm'

The numbers of women self-harmers are generally higher than men

More people in Manchester self-harm than anywhere else in Europe, a new study has claimed.

Hospital admissions for self-harm were compared from eight European countries between 1989 and 2003.

Researchers found an average of 540 women and 422 men out of every 100,000 Mancunians had self-harmed.

This was followed by Oxford, with 416 men and women per 100,000. The findings will be presented at a conference in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Researchers said the UK has higher self-harm rates than the rest of Europe.

Ljubljana in Slovenia had the lowest rate with just 72 woman and 64 men per 100,000 self-harming.

Gent in Belgium, Cork and Limerick in Ireland, Sor-Trondelag in Norway and Umea in Sweden were the other cities included in the study.

Teenage self-harm

The research was carried out by the Network for International Collaboration on Evidence in Suicide Prevention.

It will be presented at the 12th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour, which starts on Wednesday in Glasgow.

Organised by the universities of Edinburgh and Stirling and attended by experts from around the world, it will be the largest conference ever held in the UK on suicide and self-harm.

We have a serious problem of self-harm in the UK, particularly among women Professor Stephen Platt Edinburgh University

Other research being discussed at the conference includes a Stirling University-led study in which 700 teenagers aged 15 and 16 in central Scotland were questioned about self-harm.

About 14% of those reported they had self-harmed.

The study found those who reported having concerns about their sexual orientation, a history of sexual abuse or knew a family member who had self-harmed were five times more likely to self-harm.

High levels of anxiety and low self-esteem were also key factors.

Professor Stephen Platt, of Edinburgh University, said the younger a person was the more likely they were to self-harm.

He added that the risk of suicide was 60 to 100 times higher among those who had self-harmed.

Professor Platt said: "This latest research confirms we have a serious problem of self-harm in the UK, particularly among women.

"Although we have made excellent progress in improving support services, we still have a long way to go.

"Conferences such as this provide an opportunity to share our understanding of suicidal behaviour and to develop better care."