Trends in mortality from suicide, 1965-99.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse trends in mortality from suicide over the period 1965-99.


METHODS
Data were derived from the WHO database, including data for 47 countries.


RESULTS
In the European Union (EU), all age suicide mortality peaked at 16.1/100,000 in men in 1980-84, and declined thereafter to 14.4/100,000 in 1995-98. In females, the fall was 29% to reach 4.6/100,000. A similar pattern of trends was observed in several eastern European countries. In contrast, mortality from suicide rose substantially in the Russian Federation, from 37.7/100,000 in males in 1985-89 to 58.3/100,000 in 1995-98 (+55%), and to 9.5/100,000 (+12%) in females. In the USA and most other American countries providing data, no consistent pattern was evident for males, but falls were observed in females. Steady declines were registered for Japan, starting from the highest suicide rates worldwide in the late 1950s. Suicide rates were upwards in Ireland, Italy, Spain, the UK, Cuba, Australia and New Zealand. Substantial rises were observed in a few countries (Ireland, Cuba, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand) for young males.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of mixed trends, suicide remains a significant public health problem worldwide.
Levi
F
F
Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Bugnon, Lausanne, Switzerland. fabio.levi@inst.hospvd.ch
La Vecchia
C
C
Lucchini
F
F
Negri
E
E
Saxena
S
S
Maulik
P K
PK
Saraceno
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D014944:World Health Organization