Alarming rise in British teenage self-harming girls: study

LONDON, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- An alarming 68 percent increase in the number of young teenage girls self-harming in Britain was reported Thursday by academics at the University of Manchester.

They found that while more girls than boys self-harmed, the number of girls aged 13 to 16 who self-harmed rocketed by 68 percent over a three-year period.

Nav Kapur, professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the University of Manchester, said: "We can't really explain this possible rapid increase in self-harm among girls.

"It could also be a result of increasing stress and higher levels of psychological problems in young people. There is some evidence indicating that common mental health disorders are becoming more common within this age group."

Prof. Kapur said the internet and social media can be really helpful in preventing self-harm, but could have negative effects too and this is a focus of significant research and activity.

Kapur said: "It's very important that young people, parents and carers aren't unduly alarmed by these findings. We know that for many young people things get better and they no longer hurt themselves as adults. But of course we must take self-harm seriously; it's important to understand its underlying causes."

The study, published Thursday in the British Medical Journal was carried out in over 600 family doctor general practices.

It also found that young people living in the most socially deprived areas with often the most complex needs, were the least likely to be referred to specialist services.

Self-harm, described in the report as intentional self-poisoning or self-injury is a major public health issue in countries across the world in children and adolescents.

Experts acknowledge self-harm as the biggest risk factor for subsequent suicide, with suicide now the second most common cause of death in the under 25s worldwide.

Dr Cathy Morgan and a team from Manchester examined self-harm recorded in general practice rather than in hospital, analysing data for 16,912 patients aged between 10-19 years who harmed themselves during 2001 to 2014.

For girls, the rate of self-harm was 37.4 per 10,000, much higher than 12.3 per 10,000 in boys. It rose by 68 percent in girls aged 13 to 16 from 45.9 per 10,000 in 2011 to 77.0 per 10,000 in 2014.

Prof Kapur added: "These results emphasise the opportunity for earlier intervention in primary care to reduce suicide risk. We know talking treatments can help. There is also a need for more integrated care involving families, schools and health and social care providers and the voluntary sector to enhance safety among these distressed young people."

According to the study, children and teenagers who self-harmed were nine times more likely to die unnaturally than unaffected young people, with an especially marked increased risk of suicide and acute alcohol/drug poisoning death.

The study was funded by The National Institute for Health Research.