Epidemiological trends of suicide in Puerto Rico: 1931 to 1985.
This work fulfills the need for an historic-developmental study of suicide in Puerto Rico. Mortality trends, risk groups and other demographical data with preventive and comparative value is presented. The data for this descriptive study was mainly taken from the Puerto Rico Vital Statistics and the Forensic Institute files. Analysis was done correlating incidence, age, sex and method. Seasonal tendencies were explored. Graphs were designed to illustrate the tendencies and interrelationship of the given variables. The results show that after a decline in incidence in the first 30 years, suicide mortality has been stable for the past 25 years (9.2 x 100,000). Age, sex and method showed certain interrelationships; 1) aging is directly proportional to an increase in suicidal risk. 2) Youth suicide rates have consistently diminished. 3) Adolescents tend to choose the traditional methods in Puerto Rico, with a recent increase in firearms use. 4) At age 16, males differ from females by increasing their suicide rates, particularly by hanging. 5) Adult females show unpredictability as to their methods. Seasonal risk of suicide was found statistically significant (ANOVA) for the Christmas and summer periods and major events affecting the general public.
González-Manrique
M A
MA
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936.
Rodríguez-Llauger
A
A
D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention