Suicide Ratio Research Articles

Physician death by suicide in the United States: 2012–2016

Reports of incidence of physician suicide in the United States (US) are outdated. The aims of this research were to assess incidence, methods, and associated risk factors of physicians compared to non-physicians in the general US population. Retrospective suicide data (victim age 25 and over) from the 2012–2016 National Violent Death Reporting System were analyzed to test for differences in rates, methods, and risk factors of male and female physicians to non-physicians. The dataset included 498 physician suicides (403 males and 95 females) and 74,420 non-physicians (57,188 males and 17,232 females). No significant difference was found in suicide incidence between gender and age-adjusted physicians vs. non-physicians, though the female physician rate of suicide appeared higher than female non-physicians. The male to female physician ratio of suicide was about 2:1, whereas the ratio in non-physicians was closer to 4:1. Female physicians used poisoning and hanging most often as a method of suicide, where males used firearms. Depressed mood (as perceived by self or others), mental health problems (defined by a diagnosis of depression, a prescribed antidepressants or toxicology report of antidepressants), poor general medical health, and work-related stressors were more frequently associated with physician than with non-physician suicides. In conclusion, results suggest a possible heightened risk to female physicians, which warrants further investigation. Several physician-specific modifiable suicide risk factors present opportunities for prevention.

Law enforcement worker suicide: an updated national assessment.

The purpose of this paper is to update the assessment of national data on law enforcement worker suicide based on the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance database (NOMS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Death certificate data for 4,441,814 decedents, age 18-90 who died in one of the 26 reporting states were the source of NOMS data. Utilizing proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs), the ratio of suicides in law enforcement occupations in those who are 18-90 years old with a designated usual occupation was calculated. Findings indicate a significantly higher proportion of deaths from suicide for law enforcement officers (PMR = 154, 95% CI = 147-162), compared to all the US decedents in the study population who were employed during their lifetime. Law enforcement personnel are 54% more likely to die of suicide than all decedents with a usual occupation. PMRs were highest for African-Americans, Hispanic males and for females. PMRs were similar for detectives, corrections officers and all law enforcement jobs, when not stratified by race, ethnicity and sex. Bias may arise because a PMR can be affected by disproportionate increased or decreased mortality from causes of death other than suicide. A better understanding of the scope of law enforcement suicide can inform policy focused on the planning and initiation of prevention programs. The use of a national database to study law enforcement worker suicide adds to other information available on law enforcement worker suicide in specific geographic areas. The discussion on prevention in this paper presents ideas for policy.

Dynamics of suicide in Turkey: an empirical analysis

Suicide has become a public mental health problem in Turkey, with the number of deaths increasing: in 1974, the suicide rate was 1.92% for males and 1.31% for females; in 2013 this had risen to 6.22% for males and 2.26% for females. This study attempts to empirically investigate the behaviour of suicide in Turkey by focusing on sex and cause. We pay special attention to the role of structural shifts in suicide ratios, which may have arisen from the structural changes in Turkish economy during last 2 decades. We used time series analysis and employed unit root and stationarity tests for the period 1974-2013. The results show that disruption to female suicide and suicidal affairs stemmed from economic problems and business failures have a random walk process. This finding implies that shocks driven by economic issues and shocks toward the female sex have a permanent, long-term impact on suicide. The implication is that the social administration needs to implement relevant, necessary suicide prevention policies for suicides occurring in the female and economic problems groups.

The Hippocratic Risk: Epidemiology of Suicide in a Sample of Medical Undergraduates

In spite of the growing awareness on medical students’ mental health in recent years, epidemiologic literature about the topic is scarce, particularly for what concerns suicide. Here, we collected cases of suicides among medical students enrolled at a local University in Italy and compared it to the general population of the same age group. Our sample was collected using records of suicides in the city of Pavia, Italy between the years of 2014 and 2019. This record was cross-referenced with enrolment numbers to the Medical Faculty of the city in order to select cases that involved medical students A time-window of 6 years was chosen for the evaluation. The odds ratio of suicide in medical students in comparison to the general population was of 14.58 (p value at the exact Poisson test <0.001). We then differentiated between native Italians and students from abroad. In this case, an odds ratio of 6.81 was observed (p value at the exact Poisson test 0.011). Our estimated suicide rates exceeded what was previously reported for the general population. We call for a closer attention on mental health in medical students, and an increased effort in collecting objective data on the topic.

Epidemiologic Characteristics of Suicide in Panama, 2007-2016.

Background and objectives: We aim to describe the demographic characteristics associated with suicide in Panama, to estimate the suicide mortality rate and years of potential life lost (YPLL) to suicide, and to explore the correlation of suicide rates with the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). We present a descriptive retrospective epidemiological report of suicide-related mortality (Panama, 2007–2016). Materials and Methods: Data were matched-merged to calculate unadjusted suicide mortality rates (overall, and by sex, age groups, and administrative region), YPLL, and coefficients (r) for the correlation of MPI and suicide rates. Results: There were 1475 deaths by suicide (86% among men, 47% between 20 and 39 years). The average mortality rate was estimated at 3.91 per 100,000 population with an average YPLL rate of 3.79 per 1000 population. There was a statistically significant trend to reduce YPLL over time (r = −0.93; p < 0.001). Exploratory analyses did not show a significant correlation between the MPI and suicide rates. Our study showed a 6:1 male-to-female ratio of suicide, mostly affecting the age groups of 20–29 and over 80 years. Conclusions: Exploratory analyses on the correlation of the MPI and the suicide rates did not achieve statistical significance, and alternative explanations, such as access to pesticides and alcohol, were further explored to inform potential interventions.

Association between lithium in tap water and suicide mortality rates in Miyazaki Prefecture

BackgroundMost studies have reported that suicide mortality rates are negatively associated with lithium levels in tap water; however, a few studies showed either no association or a positive association. Thus, the association between suicide mortality and lithium levels in tap water remains controversial. To clarify the association, our study evaluated the association between lithium levels in tap water and suicide mortality rates in Miyazaki Prefecture of Japan, after adjusting for confounding factors.MethodsWe measured lithium levels in tap water across the 26 municipalities of Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan. We examined the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for suicide in each municipality and used the data as the average suicide SMRs over 5 years (2009–2013). Weighted least-squares regression analysis, adjusted for the size of each municipality’s population, was used to investigate the association between lithium levels in tap water and suicide SMRs. In addition to a crude model, in an adjusted model, potential confounding factors (proportion of elderly people, proportion of one-person households, annual marriage rate, annual mean income, unemployment rate, the density of medical doctors per 100,000 people, annual total rainfall, and proportion of people with a college education or higher) were added as covariates.ResultsWe showed that male and female suicide SMRs were not associated with lithium levels in tap water in Miyazaki Prefecture. After adjusting for confounders, male suicide SMRs were significantly and positively associated with the proportion of elderly people in the population and annual total rainfall, and female suicide SMRs were associated with the proportion of elderly people in the population.ConclusionsNo association between lithium levels in tap water and suicide mortality rates was found in Miyazaki Prefecture.

Association Between Community Social Capital and Suicide Mortality in Rural Areas of Japan: An Evaluation of Temporal Changes

Background: Although previous studies have reported that suicide mortality was associated with social capital, the relation between social capital and suicide mortality has remained controversial. Thus, we evaluated the relation between social capital and suicide mortality in rural areas of Japan, and examined the association between temporal changes in social capital and suicide mortality over the last ten years. Methods: We examined the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) for suicide for 26 municipalities of Miyazaki Prefecture and used the data to calculate the average suicide SMRs for two five-year periods: an earlier period, 2004–2008; and a later period, 2012–2016. Social capital (social cohesion and social participation of older people) was measured using information from questionnaire surveys. A multiple linear regression analysis of suicide SMR was conducted for each social capital variable, adjusting for potential confounding factors (population density, the proportion of older people, annual divorce rate, unemployment rate, and proportion of workers engaged in primary industries). Results: We demonstrated that male suicide SMR for the earlier period was significantly and positively associated with social cohesion after the adjustment of confounding factors. Temporal changes in male suicide SMRs were significantly and negatively associated with temporal changes in the social participation of older people in the adjusted model. No association was found for female suicide SMRs in either period. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that the social participation of older people might reduce suicide among males.

1324 prison suicides in 10 countries in South America: incidence, relative risks, and ecological factors.

Although suicide rates of prison populations and incidence factors have been reported for high-income countries, data from low- and middle-income regions are lacking. The purpose of the study was to estimate suicide rates among prison populations in South America, to examine prison-related factors, and to compare suicide rates between prison and general populations. In this observational study, we collected the numbers of suicides in prison, rates of prison occupancy, and incarceration rates from primary sources in South America between 2000 and 2017. We compared suicide rates among prisoners with incidence rates in the general populations by calculating incidence rate ratios. We assessed the effect of gender, year, incarceration rates and occupancy on suicide rates in the prison populations using regression analyses. There were 1324 suicides reported during 4,437,591 person years of imprisonment between 2000 and 2017 in 10 South American countries. The mean suicide rate was 40 (95% CI 16-65) per 100,000 person years for male and female genders combined. The pooled incidence rate ratio of suicide between prison and general populations was 3.9 (95% CI 3.1-5.1) for both genders combined, 2.4 (95% CI 1.9-3.1) for men and a higher ratio in women (13.5, 95% CI 6.9-26.9). High occupancies of prisons were associated with lower incidence of suicide (β = - 58, 95% CI - 108.5 to - 7.1). Suicides during imprisonment in South America are an important public health problem. Suicide prevention strategies need to target prison populations.

Suicide in Elderly Patients with Hip Fracture: A South Korean Nationwide Cohort Study.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the incidence rate (IR) of suicide in elderly patients with hip fracture on the basis of a nationwide cohort and to analyze the change in the hazard ratio for suicide after hip fracture over time in comparison with a control group. Patients with hip fracture and their matched controls were selected from the National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort (NHIS-Senior) of the Republic of Korea. The NHIS-Senior consists of 558,147 people selected by a 10% simple random-sampling method from a total of 5.5 million subjects ≥60 years of age in 2002. Risk-set matching (1:2) on the propensity score was performed with use of a nearest neighbor matching algorithm with a maximum caliper of 0.1 for the hazard components. The IR of suicide and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated on the basis of a generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution. The effect size was presented as a hazard ratio (HR) with use of the Cox proportional-hazard model with a robust variance estimator that accounts for clustering within matched pairs. A total of 11,477 patients with hip fracture and 22,954 matched controls were included. The mean duration of follow-up was 4.59 years, generating 158,139 person-years. During follow-up, a total of 170 suicides were identified. Comparisons at up to 180 days and 365 days showed that patients with hip fracture were at higher risk for suicide than matched controls (p = 0.009 and 0.004, respectively; stratified log-rank test). During the first 180 days of follow-up, 14 suicides were identified in patients with hip fracture during 11,152 person-years (IR, 266.1 per 100,000 person-years; 95% CI, 157.6 to 449.4). Patients with hip fracture were 2.97 times more likely to kill themselves than their matched controls during the same period (HR = 2.97; 95% CI, 1.32 to 6.69). Hip fracture in elderly patients increased suicide risk within a year. A new approach to psychiatric evaluation and management is needed in elderly patients with hip fracture. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Temporal association between zolpidem medication and the risk of suicide: A 12-year population-based, retrospective cohort study

There have been concerns about abuse and unnecessary chronic administration of zolpidem, and zolpidem’s relation to suicide risk. To investigate the temporal association of zolpidem with the risk of suicide, we conducted a 12-year, population-based, retrospective cohort study on the National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC), South Korea. Data were collected from 2002 to 2013 from the NHIS-NSC, and data cleaning was performed for 1,125,691 subjects. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to investigate the correlation over time between zolpidem medication and suicide. Over intervals commencing after 80 months of observation, the adjusted hazard ratio of suicides associated with the use of the zolpidem was 2.01 (95% CI: 1.58–2.56; p < 0.001). The mean cumulative number of days of zolpidem prescription was significantly longer in the suicide group than in the non-suicide group after log-transformation (p = 0.005). Cases of chronic use of zolpidem (over six months or one year) were significantly more common in the suicide group compared to the non-suicide group (p = 0.002 and 0.005, respectively). Subjects who received zolpidem medication had a significantly higher risk of suicide after at least 80 months of observation, suggesting a long-term increased suicide risk associated with insomnia exposed to zolpidem medication.

Suicide Prevention in the Southeast Asia Region.

This chapter provides an update on suicide and suicide prevention in the Southeast Asia Region, which covers 11 low- and middle-income countries, accounting for 26% of the world's population. More than one third (39%) of all suicides globally, occur in this region, with the highest suicide rate of 17.7 per 100,000, which is likely to be an underestimate due to differences in study populations, research methodology, and uncomprehensive data registration systems. The risk profile of people who die by suicide and the characteristics of suicides in Southeast Asia are distinctly different from other regions in many ways. In this region the male-female ratio for suicide is closer to 1, compared with 3:5 in higher-income countries, and the overall reported prevalence of mental disorders, such as depression or other psychiatric conditions, is lower. Both older people and adolescents show the highest rates of suicide. Suicide involving pesticide poisoning is the most common method used in both rural and urban areas in countries in this region. Updates are provided on national and regional suicide prevention activities in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Mortality and causes of death in people living with HIV in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy compared with the general population in Japan.

Objectives:To determine the mortality and causes of death in people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Japan.Design:A prospective cohort study at AIDS Clinical Center, Tokyo, which treats approximately 10% of PLHIV in care in Japan.Methods:Either PLHIV who visited our center for the first time between January 2005 and December 2014 or PLHIV who started their regular visit before January 2005 and visited us between January and March 2005 were included and followed by the end of 2016. Causes of death were defined according to the CoDe protocol.Results:Two thousand, seven hundred and ninety-seven PLHIV were analysed with total of 18 858 person-years of follow-up, which constitutes 14% of the estimated number of PLHIV in care in Japan. One hundred and sixty-five (5.9%) PLHIV died with all-cause mortality rate of 8.75 per 1000 person-years. All-cause mortality rate for PLHIV in care in Japan was estimated to be 8.75 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 5.53–12.0). Among causes of death, AIDS-defining illnesses accounted for 39% and malignancy contributed to 47%. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all-cause mortality, malignancy-related mortality, and suicide were 5.96 (95% CI 5.05–6.87), 7.76 (95% CI 6.02–9.51), and 3.24 (95% CI 1.54–4.94), respectively. Even among the patients who were diagnosed early or without history of AIDS, SMR was four times higher than the general population.Conclusion:Mortality of PLHIV, even among those with early diagnosis, is substantially higher than that of the general population in Japan, highlighting the importance of further efforts towards prevention, early diagnosis and prompt treatment initiation.

Association of Geomagnetic Disturbances and Suicide Attempts in Taiwan, 1997-2013: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: A previous study in Japan found that monthly mean K index values were related to the monthly number of male, but not female, suicides. Correlations between geomagnetic disturbances and suicide/depression have also been reported in countries such as Canada, South Africa, Finland, Australia, Russia, and Japan. We have previously shown that stronger geomagnetism is linked to a higher standardized mortality ratio for suicide. To date, however, no published studies have reported the correlation between geomagnetic disturbances and suicide attempts in Taiwan. Methods: Data on the monthly number of suicide attempts in Taiwan from January 1997 to December 2013 were obtained. We performed a multivariable analysis, with the number of suicide attempts as the response variable and monthly Kp10 index, F10.7 index, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), temperature, humidity, unemployment rate, and cosmic rays as the explanatory variables. Results: The multivariable analysis showed that Kp10 index, temperature, humidity, unemployment rate, and cosmic rays were associated with the number of male suicide attempts and that Kp10 index, F10.7 index, carbon monoxide, temperature, humidity, and unemployment rate were associated with the number of female suicide attempts. Conclusion: This is the first article reporting statistically significant relationships between the monthly number of male and female suicide attempts and the monthly mean Kp10 value in Taiwan.

SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND ITS OUTCOME : ELDERLY VS LOWER AGE GROUPS

BACKGROUND:The number of suicide attempts in developing countries has been increasing progressively, as in the west.There is also a global trend toward increased suicide in late life,mainly in men.It is important to note that much of the data on suicidal behaviour is based on information obtained from developed western countries. This study is to detect any differences in outcome between elderly and lower age groups. METHODS: Retrospective, Comparative study based on records of patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital over a period of one year from August 2016 to July 2017.Primary outcome studied was death. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Out of 778 suicide attempters studied,58 were above 60 yrs of age.The ratio of male to female suicides in elderly was 2:1, whereas in lower age groups, it was almost equal in both the sexes. The ratio of completed suicide to attempted suicide was found to be 1:5, which is triple the ratio of 1:15 in lower age groups. This reflects death due to added co-morbidities in elderly.This Incidence is very high and can be attributed to disintegration of joint families in the recent era.

Comparison of Suicide Risk by Mental Illness: a Retrospective Review of 14-Year Electronic Medical Records.

BackgroundKorea is one of the countries with the highest rate of suicide, while suicidality is known to be closely related to mental illnesses. The study aimed to evaluate the suicide rates in psychiatric patients, to compare it to that of the general population, and to investigate the differences among psychiatric diagnoses and comorbidities.MethodsMedical records and mortality statistics of psychiatric patients at Seoul National University Hospital from 2003 to 2017 were reviewed. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for suicide was calculated to compare the psychiatric patients with the general population. The diagnosis-specific standardized mortality rate and hazard ratio (HR) were adjusted by age, sex, and psychiatric comorbidity (i.e., personality disorder and/or pain disorder).ResultsA total of 40,692 survivors or non-suicidal deaths and 597 suicidal death were included. The suicide rate among psychiatric patients was 5.13-fold higher than that of the general population. Psychotic disorder had the highest SMR (13.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.23–15.03), followed by bipolar disorder (10.26; 95% CI, 7.97–13.00) and substance-related disorder (6.78; 95% CI, 4.14–10.47). In survival analysis, psychotic disorder had the highest HR (4.16; 95% CI, 2.86–6.05), which was further increased with younger age, male sex, and comorbidity of personality disorder.ConclusionAll psychiatric patients are at a higher risk of suicide compared to the general population, and the risk is highest for those diagnosed with psychotic disorder.

نوجوانوں میں خودکشی کا بڑھتا ہوا رجحان، اسباب اور اس کا حل سیرت طیبہ کی روشنی میں

Suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam. But now a days we can see that ratio of suicide is increasing day by day in our society and this increasing ratio of suicide is mostly among youngsters. Being an Islamic country and being Muslims, it is an alarming situation for all of us and a moment to stop and think that why our youth is involving in this haram act .We conducted a survey among youngsters. We constructed a questionnaire. We asked about the causes, factors increasing this trend, main cause and steps to reduce this ratio. Our respondents were young girls. So after filling questionnaire we came to know that one of the biggest cause of increasing trend of suicide is gap from Islamic Teachings. And some other causes are poverty, unemployment, laziness of parents in supervision of children, use of social media, and failure in exam. So at end we concluded that we follow Islamic teachings properly and spend our life according to the teaching of Islam then this ratio can be decreased. We used SPSS statistical package for the social sciences for analysis of this data.

Commentary: Reducing adolescent suicide: a global imperative - a reflection on Glenn et al. (2020).

Glenn and colleagues have examined rates of adolescent suicide across 45 countries and explored the role of sex, age, rurality and availability of guns and railways on suicide rates. Higher rates of adolescent suicide in New Zealand may be explained by the very high rate of adolescent suicide in young Maoris. Future work could be enhanced by reporting on national trends in suicide, reporting on rates broken down by race and ethnicity, and through the development of international psychological autopsy studies that could shed light on cross-country differences. While this article found that income inequality was correlated with the male-to-female ratio of adolescent suicide across countries, the opposite trend has been reported in the United States. However, as noted by this article, the effects of poverty matter. The Move To Opportunity study found that when youth under the age of 13 were moved from a high poverty to a low poverty neighbourhood, there were enduring effects, including lower levels of depression and anxiety. While adolescent suicide is a global concern, reduction in the suicide rate may have local solutions, including those that address the pernicious effects of poverty and poor neighbourhoods on youth.

1623P - Cancer, mental health and end life simulation (CAMhELS): A novel effectiveness evaluation

BackgroundThe case for investing in better integrated mental health provision and training in cancer care is compelling. Mental health co-morbidity in cancer and end of life care is very common, poorly recognized, and leads to distress and loss of functioning. The recent SMaRT oncology trials, (Walker et al., 2014) have demonstrated that up to 73% of cancer patients with depression receive no evidence-based treatment for their depression. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for completed suicide in the cancer patient is four to seven times that of the matched population, (Robinson et al., 2009; Robson et al ., 2010). The increased awareness of co-morbid mental health conditions have impacted upon and influenced the cancer world. Yet, despite the plethora of research and policy advocating for better mental health provision for cancer patients, there is still a lack of recognition of the importance of assessing and managing co-morbid mental health in cancer patients. MethodsThe authors designed a one-day simulation based training programme using trained actors portraying cancer journeys, from diagnosis to end of life, with a number of different and relevant mental health co-morbidities. Inter-professional participants (n=75) filled questionnaires both before and after the intervention (the simulation programme). The questionnaires consisted of multiple choice questions assessing knowledge of mental health co-morbidity in the cancer patient, and confidence (self- rated 1-5 Likert scales). ResultsStatistical t test analysis of pre v post intervention scores (n=75) revealed highly statistically significant imrpovements to participants’ clinical knowledge (p<0.0001) and confidence (p<0.0001) as a result of the simulation intervention. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that an innovative simulation programme has been evaluated as highly effective in improving knowledge and confidence of inter-professional learners at managing mental health co-morbidity in cancer patients. More research in this educational modality is welcomed in training clinicians. Legal entity responsible for the studyA. Fernando. FundingHealth Education England. DisclosureAll authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Global differences in geography, religion and other societal factors are associated with sex differences in mortality from suicide: An ecological study of 182 countries

BackgroundOver 800,000 individuals die as a consequence of suicide annually, and almost two thirds of these deaths are in males. This analysis aimed to explore sex differences in global suicide rates with regards to geographic location, religion and other societal factors. MethodsData on sex-specific suicide rates were collated for 182 countries in 2015. The exposures of interest were geographical location, majority religion, life expectancy, total fertility rate (TFR), literacy percentage, gender development index and gross domestic product. ResultsBoth continent and predominant religion were strongly associated with the male:female ratio for deaths from suicide (p < 0.001 for both variables). The highest male:female suicide ratio was observed in the Americas with a median value of 4.0 (interquartile range IQR: 3.0–5.0) and the lowest gender suicide ratios were observed in Africa (2.7, IQR: 2.4–3.3) and Asia (2.7, IQR: 1.8–3.9). The predominantly Christian countries revealed the highest male:female suicide ratio (3.3, IQR: 2.7–4.4) whereas the predominantly Hindu countries revealed the lowest (1.3, IQR 1.3–3.8).The following variables were all positively associated with male:female ratio of suicide mortality: Life expectancy (Spearman's correlation coefficient r = +0.21, p = 0.004), GDP per capita (r = +0.26, p = 0.003), literacy percentage (r = +0.46, p < 0.0001), and Gender Development Index (r = +0.56, p < 0.0001). TFR was negatively associated with sex suicide ratio (–0.30, p < 0.0001). ConclusionThere are significant differences between male and female suicide rates across continents and cultures. Markers of societal development are associated with a higher proportion of male suicides compared to females.

Convergence Analysis of 5 Suicide Measures for 57 Countries During 1995 to 2015

An estimated 804,000 suicide deaths occurred in 2012, representing an annual global age-standardized suicide ratio of 11.4 per 100,000 populations. Suicide ratios are not distributed evenly across people or places, varying by income level, gender, and age. Changes in suicide ratios over time also differ across people and places. This paper will examine dynamic changes of suicide ratios across 5 suicide measures for 57 countries as well as for 8 subgroups of countries during the period of 1995 to 2015 using the method of convergence analysis. The results show a wide variation in terms of annual reduction rate of suicide ratios and annual speed of catch-up effects by the subgroups of countries across the 5 suicide measures. Implications from these findings will be discussed.