title: Railway suicide in Belgium 1998-2009: incidence and prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Belgium is a country with a high suicide rate (19.1/100,000 in 2004), and railway suicide poses a substantial safety and public health problem. This problem was addressed by the Suicide Prevention Unit of Infrabel (Manager of the Belgian Railway Infrastructure), which collects relevant data and implements a prevention program.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present data on fatal and nonfatal suicidal behavior on the Belgian railway network, including monthly and regional distribution and identification of hotspots; and to present the Infrabel suicide prevention program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of Infrabel data on railway suicide (1998-2009) and comparison with data on suicide in Belgium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,092 railway suicides (1998-2009) and 557 suicide attempts (2003-2009) in Belgium (fatality rate of 54%) were studied. Monthly fluctuations were observed, with the majority of suicides occurring in Flanders, followed by Wallonia and Brussels. We identified 34 hotspots accounting for 35% of cases, mostly in Flanders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In 2004 railway suicide accounted for 5.3% of all suicides in Belgium (railway suicide rate of 1.03/100,000). Such a major human and economic loss warrants implementation of prevention measures. Infrabel has initiated a comprehensive suicide prevention program which focuses mainly on safeguarding the suicide hotspots.
authors.affiliation: Suicide Prevention Program, Flemish Mental Health Centres, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andriessen
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krysinska
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011890:Railroads / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012449:Safety; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention