Key Points

• Emergency Department Activity:

  • Since late 2019, the number of emergency department visits for suicidal ideation has been on the rise, with the increase gradually accelerating through the first half of 2022 and primarily affecting young people aged 11–24.

  • During the first lockdown, a decrease in the number and volume of emergency department visits for suicidal ideation was observed, though levels remained higher than those seen during the 2017–2019 period.

  • The proportion of emergency department visits for suicidal acts across all departments in Normandy was lower than the national average, except for Calvados (8.3‰ compared to 5.6‰ nationally).

• Hospitalizations for suicide attempts:

  • In 2019, the standardized hospitalization rate in Normandy for suicide attempts was above the national rate (233.5 per 100,000 inhabitants versus 152.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in metropolitan France).

  • The Manche department was among the departments with the highest rates of hospitalizations for suicide attempts in France for both men and women. Seine-Maritime is also one of the departments with the highest hospitalization rates for women.

• Suicide mortality:

  • Suicide mortality was declining in Normandy, but remained among the regions with a rate higher than that of mainland France for both sexes.

  • The age distribution shows a peak in mortality among men aged 40–49 and among women aged 50–59.