Reliable population-based information on suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts is essential for effective suicide prevention but remains limited in Germany. In the 2024 RKI Panel ‘Health in Germany’, more than 27,000 adults were surveyed about these topics. The results have now been published in RKI’s Journal of Health Monitoring. “Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts affect a substantial proportion of the adult population in Germany, particularly younger adults and people with lower incomes,” emphasises Professor Lars Schaade, president of the Robert Koch Institute. “Suicide prevention should take into account the specific needs of these groups as well as social and structural inequalities,” Schaade adds.
In connection with the questions on suicidality, participants were provided with the contact details of
TelefonSeelsorge, a free and anonymous counselling service in Germany available by telephone, chat or email around the clock (0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222). Further sources of support can be found on the websites of the German
National Suicide Prevention Programme and the
German Association for Suicide Prevention.
The study estimated the 12-month and lifetime prevalence of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among adults in Germany. Differences by gender, age, education and income were also examined, and participants were asked about contact with selected services, including health care and crisis support services. Overall, 6.0% of adults reported having had suicidal thoughts in the previous 12 months, while 18.0% reported having experienced suicidal thoughts in their lifetime. A suicide attempt in the previous year was reported by 0.6%, and 4.8% reported having attempted suicide in their lifetime.
Higher prevalences of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts were observed among younger adults and people with lower household incomes. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 10.5% reported having had suicidal thoughts during the previous 12 months. Suicide attempts were also reported more frequently by younger than by older adults. After statistically accounting for age, sex and education, the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts was more than twice as high in the low-income group as in the high-income group. It was also higher among women than among men and among people with lower levels of education than among those with higher levels of education.
Among participants who reported a lifetime suicide attempt, 41.5% reported contact with a hospital or emergency department in connection with their most recent attempt. By contrast, 53.8% reported no contact with any of the three types of services or institutions examined. Extrapolated to the population, the data suggest that approximately 300,000 to 500,000 adults in Germany made at least one suicide attempt during the previous year. According to Germany’s official cause-of-death statistics, 10,372 suicides were recorded in 2024.
The study was part of a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health and led by the RKI, which investigates the use of different data sources for monitoring suicide attempts (Surveillance of Suicide Attempts in Germany,
SESiD). It provides a basis for the continuous surveillance of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in the population using survey data. Population-based survey data complement routine data by capturing suicide attempts irrespective of contact with health care and support services or other institutions.
Further information, including information on Germany’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy:
https://www.rki.de/suizidalitaet (in German).
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