Trends in Suicide Mortality in South Africa, 1997 to 2016.

Tahira Kootbodien,Raj Ramesar,Leslie London,Kerry S Wilson,Nisha Naicker

doi:10.3390/ijerph17061850

Abstract

Suicide rates worldwide are declining; however, less is known about the patterns and trends in mortality from suicide in sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluates trends in suicide rates and years of potential life lost from death registration data in South Africa from 1997 to 2016. Suicide (X60–X84 and Y87) was coded using the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Changes in mortality rate trends were analysed using joinpoint regression analysis. The 20-year study examines 8573 suicides in South Africa, comprising 0.1% of all deaths involving persons 15 years and older. Rates of suicide per 100,000 population were 2.07 in men and 0.49 in women. Joinpoint regression analyses showed that, while the overall mortality rate for male suicides remained stable, mortality rates due to hanging and poisoning increased by 3.9% and 3.5% per year, respectively. Female suicide mortality rates increased by 12.6% from 1997 to 2004 before stabilising; while rates due to hanging increased by 3.0% per year. The average annual YPLL due to suicide was 9559 in men and 2612 in women. The results show that suicide contributes substantially to premature death and demonstrates the need for targeted interventions, especially among young men in South Africa.

Highlights

Suicide contributed approximately 817,000 deaths to global mortality in 2016, accounting for 1.5%of the total deaths in the world [1]
Suicide mortality is higher among men than women in general, as women report more suicidal thoughts and men are more likely to die by suicide [4]
Men were nearly three times more likely to die by suicide than women

Summary

Introduction

Suicide contributed approximately 817,000 deaths to global mortality in 2016, accounting for 1.5%of the total deaths in the world [1]. Suicide contributed approximately 817,000 deaths to global mortality in 2016, accounting for 1.5%. Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 showed that, while an increase in the absolute number of suicide deaths worldwide was observed from 1990 to. 2016, there was a significant decrease in the global age-standardised suicide mortality rate (ASMR) by a third, from 16.6 to 11.2 deaths per 100,000 population [1]. It is estimated that approximately 80% of all suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries [2]. In 2016, southern sub-Saharan Africa had the third-highest regional suicide mortality rate (ASMR 16.3 per 100,000) in the world, with approximately. 11,000 suicide deaths contributing to the burden of disease [1]. Suicide varies with sex and age-groups across different countries and regions. Suicide mortality is higher among men than women in general, as women report more suicidal thoughts and men are more likely to die by suicide [4]

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