title: [Incidence of suicide in Catalan prisons: a descriptive and comparative study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevention of suicide in prison is one of the most important challenges facing prison health care services in developed countries. The aim of this study is to analyse the incidence of suicide in Catalan prisons and accumulate data about a number of variables that have also been studied in other prison populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of suicide cases in prisons administrated by the Catalan Regional Government (Generalitat de Catalunya) between 1990 and 2005 (n=65). Comparative study of incidence with European countries using published data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average annual incidence for the period is of 59/100.000, multiplying by eight the level corresponding to the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Entry into prison is the most important event trigger for suicide. Other data open the way to new research.
authors.affiliation: Servicios Médicos, Centre Penitenciari de Joves, Departament de Justícia, Generalitat de Catalunya, La Roca del Vallès, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bedoya
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Martínez-Carpio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Humet
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lleopart