The number of hospital admissions for suicide attempts among young people aged 13 to 24 has doubled over the past ten years, according to a study by Institut Solidaris among French-speaking Belgians published on Tuesday.
The report by Institut Solidaris, the French-speaking research bureau of the socialist health insurance fund Solidaris, analysed nearly 28,000 hospital admissions.
The report highlights shortcomings in prevention and continuity of care. More than one in six young people who had attempted suicide tried again after being admitted.
Additionally, 20% of the young people involved had no contact with a GP in the three months before or after their hospitalisation, while four in ten received no medication six months before or after their hospitalisation.
"The figures speak for themselves: far too many young people leave the hospital without appropriate support or aftercare," stated Solidaris.
Nationally, poverty doubles the risk of hospitalisation. People receiving higher social benefits are affected significantly more than others. Girls aged 14 to 16 are also particularly hard hit, with a hospitalisation rate five times higher than that of boys in the same age group.
At the regional level, Wallonia remains the hardest-hit area, while Brussels is experiencing rapid growth, according to the study.
Therefore, Solidaris calls for comprehensive action based on two main objectives. On the one hand, there must be more prevention, and on the other, the care offered must be adapted, such as strengthening the number of primary care psychologists or raising awareness among general practitioners to identify potential problems more quickly.
