Effect of Changing Alcohol Laws in Iceland on Suicide Rates

1999 ◽  
Vol 84 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1158-1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Lester

After the legalization of strong beer in 1989 in Iceland, the decrease in consumption of spirits was accompanied by a decrease in the suicide rate.

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 178-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Pompili ◽  
Marco Innamorati ◽  
Monica Vichi ◽  
Maria Masocco ◽  
Nicola Vanacore ◽  
...  

Background: Suicide is a major cause of premature death in Italy and occurs at different rates in the various regions. Aims: The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive overview of suicide in the Italian population aged 15 years and older for the years 1980–2006. Methods: Mortality data were extracted from the Italian Mortality Database. Results: Mortality rates for suicide in Italy reached a peak in 1985 and declined thereafter. The different patterns observed by age and sex indicated that the decrease in the suicide rate in Italy was initially the result of declining rates in those aged 45+ while, from 1997 on, the decrease was attributable principally to a reduction in suicide rates among the younger age groups. It was found that socioeconomic factors underlined major differences in the suicide rate across regions. Conclusions: The present study confirmed that suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon that may be determined by an array of factors. Suicide prevention should, therefore, be targeted to identifiable high-risk sociocultural groups in each country.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sierra Cheng ◽  
Rebecca Plouffe ◽  
Stephanie M. Nanos ◽  
Mavra Qamar ◽  
David N. Fisman ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Suicide is among the top 10 leading causes of premature morality in the United States and its rates continue to increase. Thus, its prevention has become a salient public health responsibility. Risk factors of suicide transcend the individual and societal level as risk can increase based on climatic variables. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the association between average temperature and suicide rates in the five most populous counties in California using mortality data from 1999 to 2019. Methods Monthly counts of death by suicide for the five counties of interest were obtained from CDC WONDER. Monthly average, maximum, and minimum temperature were obtained from nCLIMDIV for the same time period. We modelled the association of each temperature variable with suicide rate using negative binomial generalized additive models accounting for the county-specific annual trend and monthly seasonality. Results There were over 38,000 deaths by suicide in California’s five most populous counties between 1999 and 2019. An increase in average temperature of 1 °C corresponded to a 0.82% increase in suicide rate (IRR = 1.0082 per °C; 95% CI = 1.0025–1.0140). Estimated coefficients for maximum temperature (IRR = 1.0069 per °C; 95% CI = 1.0021–1.0117) and minimum temperature (IRR = 1.0088 per °C; 95% CI = 1.0023–1.0153) were similar. Conclusion This study adds to a growing body of evidence supporting a causal effect of elevated temperature on suicide. Further investigation into environmental causes of suicide, as well as the biological and societal contexts mediating these relationships, is critical for the development and implementation of new public health interventions to reduce the incidence of suicide, particularly in the face increasing temperatures due to climate change.


1990 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 500-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher H. Cantor ◽  
Terry Lewin

Australia has a moderate overall suicide rate but an extremely high male firearm suicide rate. Using data covering the years 1961–1985, a series of multiple regression based analyses were performed. During this period, overall suicide rates fell but firearm suicides remained constant with a resulting increase in the proportion of suicides by firearms. There has been an increase in suicides in the young offset by a decline in the elderly. Young males showed the greatest proportional increase in the use of firearms. A limited regional analysis supported the hypothesis that lack of legislative restrictions on long guns in Queensland with a greater household prevalence of such weapons and different cultural attitudes were associated with higher overall and firearm suicide rates. Such findings are consistent with reports from North America, although trends in Australia are more modest. Reducing the availability and cultural acceptance of firearms is likely to decrease suicide rates, especially in males.


1976 ◽  
Vol 38 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1313-1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich V. Wenz

A reformulation of Durkheim's model of social integration and suicide rates was tested using social survey and census data for social area populations in Flint, Michigan. The hypothesis predicts: the more integrated a social-area population, the lower its suicide rate. It is concluded that the concept of social area defines an adequate unit of analysis for testing Durkheim's model, and the empirical data support Durkheim's original formulation.


1999 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 127-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Corcoran ◽  
Dermot Walsh

AbstractObjectives:To establish suicide rates of psychiatric inpatients in Ireland and the characteristics, demographic, social and medical, of the patients involved.Method:Clinical, post mortem and inquest data on all such deaths from 1983-1992 were examined. Suicide rates were calculated using ‘person year method’.Results:The suicide rate for short stay inpatients (stay less than one year) was 319/100,000, and 118/100,000 for long stay patients. The average duration of illness at time of suicide was 10 years. A fourfold increase in suicide rate of inpatients over the century was associated with a similar increase in the suicide rate in the general population. Thirty five per cent of suicides were aged 25-34 years. The risk of suicide was higher the shorter the time interval after admission. Three quarters of suicide deaths in registered inpatients occurred away from hospital grounds.Conclusions:Social factors which contribute to an increase in the suicide rate in the general population are relevant to the increase in hospital inpatient suicides. More effective and comprehensive services to meet the needs of those with severe mental illness, particularly young adults, are essential. The results emphasise the importance of managing inpatients in a safe, secure environment. The person year method is appropriate for monitoring changes in suicide rates.


1998 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 408-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Retamal C. ◽  
Derek Humphreys

OBJECTIVE: To review the estimated suicide rates for the Region Metropolitan, the main socio-political center in Chile, for the period 1979-1994, and to determine whether they follow a seasonal pattern. METHOD: Data available for the period 1979-94 at the Forensic Services in Chile was analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS: It was register 5.386 suicides. While the "warm" months (October, November, December & January) concentrated 39.0% of cases, the so called "cold" months reported 28,7%. This contrast is made even clearer by the month-to-month analysis, showing the highest suicide rate in December (10.9%) against the lowest rate in June (7.0%). Further statistical analysis revealed these differences to be significant. CONCLUSION: The study shows that in Chile, representing as it does the Southern Hemisphere, the suicide rates tend to present a seasonal variation as has elsewhere been determined for in the North Hemisphere.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidija Injac Stevović ◽  
Selman Repišti ◽  
Tamara Radojičić ◽  
Olivera Injac

Abstract Background: This is an ecological study that analyzes suicides committed in Montenegro during the 2000-2018 period, taking into account gender, age and methods of suicide. Methods: Suicide rates and trends up until 2009 were obtained from the official registers of Bureau of Statistics of Montenegro (MONSTAT) while the later data were obtained from the Department of Interior’s. MONSTAT also provided data on unemployment and average salary. As per statistical methods, descriptive and correlations were calculated. Results: The average crude suicide rate was 21.06, for males 29.93 and for females 12.42. Crude suicide rates were not associated with unemployment rate or average salary. However, the unemployment rate was significantly correlated with lethal methods of suicide, namely suicide by firearm and by hanging. Average net salary was negatively correlated with suicide by firearm. Conclusions: The ratio of males and females who committed suicide was 2.41. In the last three years, this ratio continues to rise in favor of males (reaching 4.29 in 2018). This could be explained by specific cultural features where males are expected to be the main financial contributors to the households. The labor market of Montenegro does not offer adequate opportunities to set and maintain a stable economic situation which puts additional pressure and stress on males.


Rev Rene ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Faria Simões ◽  
Luiza Cantão ◽  
Nadja Cristiane Lappann Botti

Objective: to analyze the suicide rate in historical regions of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: epidemiological studyconducted in five historical regions of a Brazilian state. The data used were extracted from the Information Department ofthe National Health System. Results: the Historical Regions of Demonstrations and Wealth presented higher suicide rateswhen compared to the state’s rate. In 11 of the 15 years analyzed, the Region of Wealth had rates higher than that of MinasGerais. Regarding age group, average levels of suicide were found in the age group 20-59 years in 14 years studied. Wealso identified higher suicide rates among men in the Historical Regions. The most used methods in the Historical Regionswere hanging, strangulation and suffocation. Conclusion: the distribution of suicide cases has enabled to understand theepidemiological characteristics of suicide in the Historical Regions of Minas Gerais during the period analyzed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (2) ◽  
pp. 495-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. C. Ben Park ◽  
David Lester

Suicide rates in 2005 in South Korea were higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Those in rural areas more often used pesticides and chemicals as a method for suicide, and there was a greater proportion of men and the elderly, both groups at higher risk for suicide in South Korea. These three factors may account for the high rural suicide rate in South Korea.


Crisis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatsugu Orui ◽  
Suzuka Saeki ◽  
Yuki Kozakai ◽  
Shuichiro Harada ◽  
Mizuho Hayashi

Abstract. Background: People who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) were expected to have additional levels of psychological burden resulting from the stressful conditions imposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; consequently, suicide rates may increase. Aim: We aimed to carry out continuous monitoring of suicide rates in the affected area following the GEJE under COVID-19 pandemic conditions. Method: This descriptive study monitored the suicide rates of the coastal area of Miyagi Prefecture, where disaster-related mental health activities have been continuing following severe damage caused by the tsunami disaster. An exponential smoothing time-series analysis that converted suicide rates into a smooth trend was conducted. Results: Although the suicide rate in the affected area was higher than the national average in February 2020, it showed a declining trend during the COVID-19 pandemic, while showing an increase trend in the national and non-affected areas. Limitations: Uncertainty about the direct reasons for suicide and the short time-scale observation are the limitations of this study. Conclusion: Although the national suicide rate increased, this was not the case for the affected area. Our findings may provide important lessons for suicide prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic, which needs careful regional monitoring of the state of suicide and of high-risk approaches such as disaster-related mental health activities.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document