Number Of Suicide Deaths Research Articles

Effect of suicide prevention law and media guidelines on copycat suicide of general population following celebrity suicides in South Korea, 2005-2017.

To prevent copycat suicides following media reporting of celebrity suicides, the South Korean government enacted a 'suicide prevention law' in 2012 and revised the media guidelines for suicide reporting in 2013. This study examined how these two regulatory measures affected suicide trends among the general population in South Korea. We analyzed the individual effect estimates for the general population within 30 days following the media report of 24 celebrity suicides using multivariate negative binomial regression. We performed a meta-analysis to compute the pooled rate ratios of the two regulations. We examined the trends in daily suicides by month during three time intervals before and after enactment using an autoregressive model and tested their significance using a piecewise linear regression. Total suicides increased by 6.27 daily during the 30-day period after celebrity suicides. Compared with the 30 days prior to the reports on the suicide of 24 celebrities, the number of suicidal deaths in the general population increased by 13% during the 30 days after the reports were announced (pooled rate ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval: 0.06-0.18; p < 0.001). There was a significant downward trend in the average daily suicide deaths, and no significant increase in suicide rates, after the enactment of the suicide prevention law (p < 0.001) and revision of the media guidelines (p = 0.014). Suicide prevention and media guidelines were effective in reducing the effect of celebrity suicides. In addition to regulating media reporting of celebrity suicide, measures are needed to address viral republication on social media and to prevent suicide among entertainers.

Suicide and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis, but its effect on suicide deaths is little understood.MethodsWe analyzed data from monthly suicide statistics between January 2017 and October 2020 and from online surveys on mental health filled out by the general population in Japan.ResultsCompared to the 2017–19 period, the number of suicide deaths during the initial phase of the pandemic was lower than average but exceeded the past trend from July 2020. Female suicides, whose numbers increased by approximately 70% in October 2020 (incidence rate ratio: 1.695, 95% confidence interval: 1.558–1.843), were the main source of this increase. The largest increase was found among young women (less than 40 years of age). Our survey data indicated that the status of young women’s mental health has been deteriorating in recent months and that young female workers were more likely to have experienced a job or income loss than any other group, suggesting adverse economic conditions surrounding them.ConclusionsContinuous monitoring of mental health, particularly that of the most vulnerable populations identified in this study, and appropriate suicide prevention efforts are necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suicide and Seizures: A National Cohort Study in Veterans.

The increased rate of suicide associated with epilepsy has been described, but no studies have reported the rates of suicide and suicide-related behavior (SRB) associated with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs). This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from October 2002 to October 2017 within Veterans Health Administration services. Of 801,734 veterans, 0.09% had PNES, 1.37% had epilepsy, and 98.5% had no documented seizures. Veterans coded for completed suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation were identified from electronic health records. The primary measure was the suicide-specific standardized mortality ratio (SMR) based on the number of suicide deaths and CDC national suicide mortality database. A Poisson regression was used to calculate the relative risk (RR) of suicide across groups. A total of 1,870 veterans (mean age [SD] 33.76 [7.81] years) completed suicide. Veterans with PNES (RR = 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84-4.24) and veterans with epilepsy (RR = 2.19, 95% CI 2.10-2.28) had a higher risk of suicide compared with the general veteran population. Veterans with PNES or epilepsy had a higher risk of suicide and SRB if they had comorbid alcohol abuse, illicit drug abuse, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and use of psychotropic medications. Conversely, those who were married or attained higher education were at a decreased risk. The SMR for completed suicide for PNES, epilepsy, and the comparison group was 2.65 (95% CI 1.95-5.52), 2.04 (95% CI 1.60-2.55), and 0.70 (95% CI 0.67-0.74), respectively. Veterans with seizures (both psychogenic and epileptic) are at a greater risk of death by suicide and SRB than the comparison group. These findings suggest that although the pathophysiology of PNES and epilepsy is different, the negative impact of seizures is evident in the psychosocial outcomes in both groups.

Suicide among South Asians in the United States: Perspectives, Causes, and Implications for Prevention and Treatment

Suicide and suicide related behaviors have been a global phenomenon. Suicide is a major social problem with more than one million deaths and 25 million attempted suicides [1] and 140 million who reported ideation [2]. Specifically in the US, it is the tenth leading cause of death with a staggering 47,173 Americans who committed suicide and 1,400,000 who attempted suicide. Nearly 575,000 Americans visited a hospital with self-inflicted injuries [3]. Astonishingly, the number of suicidal deaths is greater than the total number of deaths from homicide, AIDS, car accidents combined [4]. The cost of suicide and self-injury was over $ 70 billion in medical as well as work loss expenses in the United States [5]. The highest suicide rate (20.2) percent is prevalent among middle-aged adults in the age group of 45 to 54 years old; followed by older adults 85 years of age and older with (20.1) percent. Among young adults and adolescents in 15-24 years, it was 14.46 percent in 2017. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [6], suicide rates were 6.59% among Asian &amp; Pacific Islanders, 6.61% among African Americans and 13.42% among American Indians and Alaskan natives in 2019. It was highest (15.85%) among the Caucasian population. White males account for nearly 70 percent of all suicides occurred in the United States though females make twice the number of suicidal attempts. Firearms was the number one means used since 50.57 percent of those who committed suicide used this method [7].

Spain’s suicide statistics: do we believe them?

There is a widespread belief that suicides around the world are under-counted. A substantial proportion of suicides may have been inappropriately registered as accidental or of undetermined cause or intent. There is reason to explore to what extent low suicide rates in some nations could be partly attributable to under-counting. Mortality statistics of most countries are available on-line. Numbers of suicide deaths in Spain, and in England and Wales (E & W), in male and female 5-year age groups, in each year between 2014 and 2018, were documented, along with deaths coded to ICD-10 accident or 'undetermined death' categories. Crude mortality rates were calculated using official population figures. Single year suicide, undetermined death, and non-transport accidental death rates of 12 other nations were calculated. Spain's crude suicide rate per 100,000 remains low (7.89) compared to other nations; its event of undetermined intent (EUI) death rate was 0.09 (contrasting with E & W's 1.74). Its accidental poisoning rate is much lower than that of E & W. The study showed much higher rates of ill-defined/unknown cause deaths in late life in Spain (both genders) than in E & W, and age-associated increases in accidental drowning rates parallel with increased suicide by drowning. Reportedly low suicide rates in Spain could be partly attributable to increased rates of 'hidden suicide' (accidental drowning, male accidental poisoning, and possibly ill-defined/unknown cause deaths, but not EUIs). It would be appropriate (and not just in Spain) to increase numbers of verbal and/or forensic autopsies in questionable 'undetermined' cases.

Avaliação das atitudes e autopercepção de capacitação de estudantes de medicina frente ao comportamento suicida e determinação de fatores associados

O Brasil se encontra entre os dez países com maior número de casos de morte por suicídio do mundo. A capacidade de identificação precoce de pacientes com ideação suicida por parte dos acadêmicos do setor saúde em seus ambientes de prática se mostra promissora e fundamental para prevenção desse fenômeno. Esse estudo teve como objetivo investigar, por meio do questionário validado QUACS, a atitude e a autopercepção de capacitação de estudantes de medicina frente ao comportamento suicida, bem como determinar fatores associados. A amostra foi composta por acadêmicos do 6º e 8º períodos de medicina da Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (UEMG), unidade Passos. Tratou-se de um estudo observacional, tipo transversal, com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Com a avaliação estatística dos resultados, concluiu-se que os acadêmicos do 6º e 8º período do curso de medicina da UEMG não se sentem capacitados para lidar com um caso de comportamento suicida. Pode-se inferir que isso se deva à possíveis lacunas no processo de ensino da medicina que precisam ser detectadas e preenchidas. Medidas como a ampliação do contato dos estudantes de medicina com casos de comportamento suicida nos ambientes de prática podem se mostrar promissoras nesse cenário. Como limitação desse estudo, destaca-se o fato dele ter sido conduzido em uma única universidade pública da região sul de Minas Gerais. Portanto, observa-se a necessidade de expandir a amostra para outras universidades, incluindo as universidades particulares, de Passos e de outras regiões do país.

Psycho Social Factors in Adolescent Suicides- A Psychological Autopsy based Study

BACKGROUND: Suicides among adolescents in India have become an alarming problem, especially among students. This study is to find out the recent and remote psychosocial and disease related stress and adverse life events that could have led these young people to commit suicide.MATERIAL AND METHODS: It is a Cross sectional study on adolescent suicides with history and postmortem findings being consistent with suicideconducted at Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala state .FINDINGS: Informants of 55 cases were interviewed with the help of questionnaire.Most of the suicide victims belonged to upper middle class category.Maximum number of suicidal deaths are seen in victims having 1 sibling, living in a nuclear family.History of suicidal deaths among the family members of the suicide victim is seen in 7 out of 55 cases.Mood of maximum number of cases before the suicide attempt in the recent past, say 2 weeks, was depressed. Maximum number of suicide attempts were seen in the evening, mostly after the school and college working hours.Academic performance of 40.0%cases was average.10.9% were socially isolated. 14.5% had a history of previous suicide attempt. 14.5% had shown anger, aggression and impulsivity in the recent past, say 2 weeks. CONCLUSION: The main purpose of this study is to find out the stressors that could have led these adolescents to commit suicide and to suggest a few strategies to prevent the suicides in the future.

Epidemiology of suicides in Poland in 1990-2018 - changes and new trends.

In Poland, the problem of suicide attempts has not been the subject of acomprehensive analysis. We examined the magnitude of the phenomenon and suicide trends over the past 3 decades, focusing on the number of suicide deaths and attempts, the method and place of suicide, gender, age, day of the week, and state of mind. We used official nationwide data collected by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and the National Police Headquarters (NPH) for the years 1990-2018. The final statistical data collected by the CSO was verified on the basis of medically certified deaths. Despite the correlation between the information from the CSO and NPH on the classification of suicides, in the opinion of authors', the published data is underestimated or incorrectly categorized. There were 187,502 suicide attempts in Poland between 1990 and 2018, 75.8% of which resulted in death. In 2018, the suicide rate in Poland was 13.6 per 100,000 people and was higher than in 1990 (9.7). The highest risk for suicides is observed for men aged 45-54 years, at the turn of winter and spring, on Mondays, and in rural areas. The critical period is Mondays at the turn of winter and spring. Hanging is the most commonly used suicide method. Based on the collected statistical data, it should be stated that suicide attempts have for many years been asignificant social problem in Poland, for which no systemic solutions have been introduced.

Research of Suicide Rates for OECD Members Countries: A Cluster Analysis Work

İntihar, özellikle yüzyılımızda, psikiyatristlerin ve psikologların ilgilendikleri en önemli konulardan biri durumuna gelmiştir. Son 45 yılda dünyadaki intihar oranı %60 artış göstermiştir ve 2020 yılında intihar sonucu ölenlerin sayısının 1,5 milyona ulaşması beklenmektedir. İntihar değişkenlere göre farklılıklar göstermektedir. Tüm olası nedenleri bir kaç başlık altında özetleyecek olursak; biyolojik ve genetik, psikolojik ve sosyal, sosyo-demografik nedenler, fiziksel hastalıklar, psikiyatrik bozukluklar şeklindedir. Bu çalışmada OECD (İktisadi İşbirliği ve Gelişme Teşkilatı) üyesi olan olan 36 ülkenin 2016 yılındaki intihar oranları, GNI katsayısı, ülkelere göre işsizlik oranları kullanılarak Kümeleme Analizi K-Ortalama yöntemi ile 36 ülkenin durumu analiz edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Analizler sonucunda 36 ülke 6 kümeye ayrılmıştır.

Study on the Correlation between Tinnitus and Depression in Elderly Depressive Patients

Depression is a common disease. According to the World Health Organization report, there are about 350 million people with depression worldwide. The number of suicide deaths due to depression is as high as 1 million per year..

Ten questions concerning the built environment and mental health

Most people spend the majority of their lives indoors. Research over the last thirty years has focused on investigating the mechanisms through which specific elements of the built environment, such as indoor air quality, influence the physical health of occupants. However, similar effort has not been expended in regard to mental health, a significant public health concern. One in five Americans has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder in the past year, and, in the United States, the number of suicide deaths are similar to the number of deaths due to breast cancer. Increases in mental health disorders in Western societies may be due, in part, to increased systemic inflammation, secondary to decreased exposures to a diverse microbial environment (i.e., the hygiene hypothesis, “Old Friends” hypothesis, “missing microbes” hypothesis, or biodiversity hypothesis), as well as increased environmental exposures that lead to chronic low-grade inflammation. In this review, we provide an assessment that integrates historical research across disciplines. We offer ten questions that highlight the importance of current lessons learned regarding the built environment and mental health, including a potential role for the microbiome of the built environment to influence mental health. Suggested areas for future investigation are also highlighted.

Self-Reported Suicidal Ideation as a Predictor of Suicidal Behavior Among Outpatients With Diagnoses of Psychotic Disorders.

Individuals with psychotic disorders are at high risk of suicidal behavior. The study examined whether response to item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), which asks about thoughts of death or self-harm, predicts suicidal behavior among outpatients with diagnoses of psychotic disorders. Electronic health records (EHRs) from seven large integrated health systems were used to identify all outpatient visits by adults with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum psychosis or unspecified psychosis from January 1, 2009, to June 30, 2015, during which a PHQ-9 was completed (N=32,982 visits by 5,947 patients). Suicide attempts over the 90 days following each visit were ascertained from EHRs and insurance claims. Suicide deaths were ascertained from state death certificate files. Risk of suicide attempt within 90 days of an outpatient visit was .8% among patients reporting no thoughts of death or self-harm and 3.5% among those reporting such thoughts "nearly every day." Over 90 days of follow-up, 47% of suicide attempts occurred among those who reported any recent thoughts of death or self-harm at the sampled visit. Also, 59% of attempts occurred among those reporting thoughts of death or self-harm at the index visit or any visit in the prior year. The number of suicide deaths within 90 days (N=10) was too small to accurately assess the relationship between PHQ-9 item 9 response and subsequent suicide death. Among outpatients with psychotic disorders, response to item 9 of the PHQ-9 accurately identified those at increased short-term risk of a suicide attempt.

The Social History of Chronic STIs in Africa: Experiences from Cameroon

The emergence of chronic STIs in Africa has been a nightmare to medical and social scientists, making infected persons to show differences in clinical, therapeutic and social histories. Medical history shows that HIV/AIDS and HBV are the only chronic STIs in the world for now. This study presents social modifications within this community as persons infected with HIV/AIDS and HBV live their experiences in the context of Cameroon. It presents the traumatic experiences of these infections on the social lives of the infected and affected persons with their entourage. A contribution enriches the current literature on the social history of chronic STIs in Africa. A qualitative study that used the techniques of in-depth interviews, FGD and participant observations to collect data from a sample population of 108 persons living with HIV/AIDS, HIV/HBV co-infections, and HBV presenting therapeutic complications in the UTHY Cameroon. A FGD carried out with patients who are members of social networks and associations. Data analyzed and interpreted using a content analysis and the Social Dynamic Analysis of George Balandier. Persons living with HIV/AIDS have life-experiences that are quite traumatizing and differ from those with HBV. From the 80s till date, HIV patients lived a life of shame, fear, rejection and stigmatization causing a good number of suicidal deaths. This has caused many patients to die due to the refusal to seek medical care. Ignorance around HBV makes it stigma-free and more deadly as compare to the former. Coping strategies developed by these patients result in social modifications of this community.

A statistical study of suicidal behavior of Indians

BackgroundAccording to the reports published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) India, every year, the number of suicides are continuously increasing. The number of suicidal deaths in 2014 is 15.8% more than 2004.ObjectivesTo briefly overview the recent trends in the number of suicides and study risk factors for suicides, means of suicides in India. We explore the association of suicidal deaths and some attributes such as gender (sex), age group and profession of suicide victims.MethodMultiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and subset MCA are used to study the association of attributes.ResultsIn India, family problems and health problems are major reasons for suicides. The association between the risk factors for suicides, means of suicides, gender, profession, age group of suicide victims is studied and explored using biplots.ConclusionsThe leading risk factors for suicides are family problems, illness, drug addiction, failure in examination, etc. Hanging and poisoning are the common means adopted by males and females while females most frequently commit suicide by fire/self-immolation. As per the association of attributes studied, government of India has to launch ‘Anti-suicide campaigns’ at all levels regularly and the campaign should consider gender, age group, profession while structuring the campaign.

Correction: Suicide prevention through means restriction: Impact of the 2008-2011 pesticide restrictions on suicide in Sri Lanka.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172893.].

Suicide prevention through means restriction: Impact of the 2008-2011 pesticide restrictions on suicide in Sri Lanka.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of 3-year phased bans of the pesticides dimethoate and fenthion in 2008–2010, and paraquat in 2009–2011, on suicide mortality in Sri Lanka.MethodsAge-standardised overall, sex-specific, and method-specific suicide rates were calculated using Sri Lankan police data (1989–2015). Using negative binomial regression models, we estimated the change in the rate and number of suicide deaths in post-ban years (2011–15) compared to those expected based on pre-ban trends (2001–10).FindingsOverall suicide mortality dropped by 21% between 2011 and 2015, from 18.3 to 14.3 per 100,000. The decline in pesticide suicides during this same period was larger than for overall suicides: from 8.5 to 4.2 per 100,000, a 50% reduction. This was accompanied by a smaller concurrent rise in non-pesticide suicide mortality with a 2% increase (9.9 to 10.1 per 100,000). In 2015, the ratio between the observed and expected pesticide suicide rates was 0.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40, 0.62), corresponding to an estimated 937 (95% CI 574, 1389) fewer pesticide suicides than expected from pre-ban suicide rates. Findings were similar in sensitivity analyses using 2008 or 2012 as commencement of the post intervention period.ConclusionBans of paraquat, dimethoate and fenthion in Sri Lanka were associated with a reduction in pesticide suicide mortality and in overall suicide mortality despite a small rise in other methods. This study provides further evidence for the effectiveness of pesticide regulation in limiting the availability of highly hazardous pesticides and thereby reducing the number of global suicides.

Attitudes towards Suicide among Medical and Paramedical Personnel

Background: There is an increase in the suicide rate by 43% in the last three decades (from 1975 to 2005). All the five States viz. Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka have registered consistently higher number of suicidal deaths during the last few years. Attitude plays a key role in preventing suicide and also providing quality care. Aim: To assess the attitude towards suicide among medical and paramedical personnel. Methodology: This study was carried out at Dr. Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation (Dr. PSIMS &amp; RF). Medical professionals and paramedical personnel of our hospital were taken as study group and individuals from general population were taken as the control group. Suicidal attitude questionnaire was employed to measure attitude. Results: Positive attitude towards suicide was observed more among the medical professionals when compared to paramedical and control groups. Conclusion: Levels of attitude towards suicide is not similar for each individual and also differs in between the groups .Low levels of positive attitude among paramedical and control group indicates the need to increase awareness of suicide among the general population and paramedical group for prevention of suicides and to provide better care.

Suicide Trends Among Elementary School-Aged Children in the United States From 1993 to 2012.

Suicide is a leading cause of death among school-aged children younger than 12 years but little is known about the epidemiology of suicide in this age group. To describe trends in suicide among US children younger than 12 years by sociodemographic group and method of death. Period trend analysis of national mortality data on suicide in children aged 5 to 11 years in the United States from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2012. Data were analyzed per 5-year periods, between 1993 to 1997 and 2008 to 2012. Number of suicide deaths and crude suicide rates. Period trends in rates of suicide were estimated using negative binomial regression incidence rate ratios (IRRs). The overall suicide rate among children aged 5 to 11 years remained stable between 1993 to 1997 and 2008 to 2012 (from 1.18 to 1.09 per 1 million; IRR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.90-1.03). However, the suicide rate increased significantly in black children (from 1.36 to 2.54 per 1 million; IRR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.11-1.45) and decreased in white children (from 1.14 to 0.77 per 1 million; IRR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79-0.94). The overall firearm suicide rate (IRR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.57-0.85) and firearm suicide rate among white boys (IRR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.88) decreased significantly during the study. The rate of suicide by hanging/suffocation increased significantly in black boys (IRR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.14-1.61), although the overall change in suicide rates by hanging/suffocation or other suicide methods did not change during the study. The stable overall suicide rate in school-aged children in the United States during 20 years of study obscured a significant increase in suicide incidence in black children and a significant decrease in suicide incidence among white children. Findings highlight a potential racial disparity that warrants attention. Further studies are needed to monitor these emerging trends and identify risk, protective, and precipitating factors relevant to suicide prevention efforts in children younger than 12 years.

Características epidemiológicas do suicídio no estado de Santa Catarina

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever as características epidemiológicas do suicídio nas regiões das SDRs1 do estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil, no ano de 2009. Investigar a relação do IDH, das cidades-sede das SDRs; o índice de suicídio e as políticas públicas voltadas à prevenção do suicídio. Os dados foram coletados utilizando-se o Datasus, Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade (SIM) − Causas Externas. Os resultados mostraram que os homens cometem mais suicídio, a faixa etária com maior número de mortes por suicídios compreende entre 40 e 50 anos, o enforcamento apareceu como o método mais utilizado em ambos os sexos e pessoas casadas cometem mais o ato suicida.

A Position Article for Applying Spirituality to Suicide Prevention

Suicide is a major public health concern in the United States. Halting the rising trend of suicides requires that new options be identified and implemented so as to achieve the overarching goal of reducing the total number of suicide deaths and attempts in America. The aim of this article is to review constructs and outline a proposed operational framework for incorporating spiritual well-being into suicide prevention efforts. By presenting conceptual, preventive, and theoretical arguments, the hope is to elicit empirical interest in finding practical applications for the protective potential of spirituality.