Eurostat Report: Suicide Rates in the EU Drop by 13%, Greece Among Lowest in Europe

A new Eurostat report reveals that deaths by suicide across the European Union have decreased by 13.3% over the past decade.

In 2021, the EU recorded 47,346 suicides, representing 0.9% of all deaths that year, with a standardised rate of 10.2 deaths per 100,000 people. This marks a significant reduction from 2011, when the rate stood at 12.4 per 100,000 people.

Greece ranks among the countries with the lowest suicide rates in the EU. In 2021, Greece reported 4.2 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, placing it just above Cyprus (2.7) and below Italy (5.9). On a regional level, the Voreio Aigaio region of Greece had one of the lowest suicide rates in Europe, with 1.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

In contrast, Slovenia registered the highest suicide rate in 2021, with 19.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Lithuania (19.5) and Hungary (15.7).

The data highlights a continuing trend across Europe where men account for the majority of suicide deaths, with 76.7% of suicides involving men. The highest number of deaths occurred among those aged 45-64, followed by those over 65.

These findings coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day, observed annually on September 10, and underscore the need for ongoing mental health support and prevention efforts, especially in countries and regions with higher suicide rates.

Source: GCT–CHARLIE KOMALENKO