title: Inequalities and impact of socioeconomic-cultural factors in suicide rates across Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide is a major cause of premature death in Italy and occurs at different rates in the various regions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive overview of suicide in the Italian population aged 15 years and older for the years 1980-2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mortality data were extracted from the Italian Mortality Database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality rates for suicide in Italy reached a peak in 1985 and declined thereafter. The different patterns observed by age and sex indicated that the decrease in the suicide rate in Italy was initially the result of declining rates in those aged 45+ while, from 1997 on, the decrease was attributable principally to a reduction in suicide rates among the younger age groups. It was found that socioeconomic factors underlined major differences in the suicide rate across regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study confirmed that suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon that may be determined by an array of factors. Suicide prevention should, therefore, be targeted to identifiable high-risk sociocultural groups in each country.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pompili
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Innamorati
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vichi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masocco
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vanacore
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serafini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tatarelli
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Leo
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*