title: Suicide and the war in Croatia.
abstract: Analyzing data from the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) in Rijeka, a total of 853 suicides were recorded in a 15 years period (1986-2000). Quantitative and qualitative features of suicides were analyzed in three intervals: pre-wartime, wartime and post-wartime. In the wartime period (1991-1995), the suicide rate increased by 20.9% in comparison with the pre-war period. In the post-wartime period, the suicide rate dropped by 26.2% in comparison with the war period. The results show a significant increase in suicide rates in the wartime. During the wartime period, a large number of suicide victims under the age of forty increased-45.3% in comparison with the pre-war period and 56.6% in comparison with the post-war period. The use of firearms as a means of committing suicide quadrupled during the war in comparison with the pre-war period. The level of alcohol intoxication of perpetrators at the moment of suicide significantly increased in the wartime period. War had a direct impact on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of suicides in Croatia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia. alanbosnar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosnar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stemberga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coklo
authors.forename: G Zamolo
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Koncar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Definis-Gojanovic
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sendula-Jengic
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D014857:Warfare
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol