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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 8, 2015 | 12 Males' self-harm twice as likely to end in fatality continued from p.1 around age 15-19," said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton's Medical Of cer of Health (MOH). Burlington Councillor Rick Craven asked how worried residents should be. "We think there's a variety of factors involved, but it's dif cult to say what the true reason is that we're seeing this increase," said Meghani. While females are more likely to engage in it, fatalities due to self-harm were two times higher in males. The MOH noted the ndings might re ect a heightened awareness among the medical community about self-harm, which can result in more people being diagnosed. With increased awareness of mental health issues, some believe children are under more stress and experiencing high rates of anxiety and depression. That could be contributing to the increase in incidents as well, Meghani added. "Possibly children nowadays are in touch more with the wider world through the Internet and social media that is out there so they're seeing this type of behaviour showcased on social media and using it (self-harm) as a coping mechanism," Meghani said. "It's important to note that this self-harm piece is different from suicide because most self-harm does not result in suicide." Self-harm -- cutting or burning oneself -- may arise from emotional pain, intense anger, and/or frustration, the Halton Self-Harm and Suicide Report states. The report shows there were 397 ED visits, 240 hospitalizations and 34 deaths related to self-harm during 2003-2011. The injuries report also looked at falls, injuries in sports and recreation and those caused by motor vehicle collisions. In total, there were 41,891 ED visits, 2,401 hospitalizations and 173 deaths. In Halton, falls are the leading cause of injuries resulting in hospitalizations or death. Self-harm is the second-leading cause. Halton Region plans to use the data collected to identify priority areas for future injury prevention work in Halton. For the complete reports, visit halton.ca. Spare some coffee change? Even a dollar a day goes a long way in supporting Kerr Street Mission as we come alongside those in our community facing hardship. We've been committed to giving help for the present and hope for the future since 1996. We provide that help through services ranging from a food bank, to financial counselling, to child and youth programs. Please help us continue to offer that hope to those in our community who need it. KSM is only able to provide this quality care because of your generous, ongoing donations. Yes, I'll become an ongoing KSM financial partner. Click DONATE at kerrstreet.com to set up your donation. Want to see your money doing better? Talk to us Watch your money grow with great rates from FirstOntario. Open a Be FREE & More Plan for $10 a month which includes: · · · · Five FREE Interac® transactions per month No fee overdraft protection FREE personalized cheques And more st. PLUS Open a Mastercard® CHOICE REWARDS® product and a TFSA account You will RECEIVE: 1 A $100 Keg Steakhouse Gift Card and a TFSA Rate of: 2.10 %* 6 month Original artwork by Michael Byers Conditions apply. *Base rate is 1.60% plus a 0.50% bonus. Base rate is subject to change. 1 Gift cards available while supplies last. 485 Kerr St. | Oakville, ON | L6K 3C6 905-845-7485 www.kerrstreet.com Call us at 1-800-616-8878 or visit FirstOntario.com