title: Rate of suicide and suicide attempts and their relationship to unemployment in Thessaloniki Greece (2000-2012).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently there was a debate concerning the relationship between the economic crisis and an increase in attempted and completed suicides in Europe and especially in Greece. The aim of the current study was to calculate the rates of attempted and completed suicide per year in the county of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, northern Greece, for the years 2000-12, and to investigate their relationship with unemployment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The archive of the Emergency Outpatient Units of three hospitals was investigated and the results were projected to the county population. Data from the Hellenic statistics authority concerning regional general population and suicides and unemployment were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of attempted suicides was 16.69-40.34 per 10(5) inhabitants for males and 41.43-110.82 for females. Medication was the preferred method for 95.93%. The completed suicide rates varied from 3.62 to 5.47 for males and from 0.19 to 1.95 per 10(5) inhabitants for females. The male attempt rate correlated negatively with regional male unemployment (-0.63). For females the respected value was similar (-0.72). Concerning competed suicide rates, the respected values were 0.34 and 0.65. The attempt was repeated by 15.34%; almost half-repeated within the same year and 75% within two years. The female to male ratio varied significantly across years with 2:1 (more females) being the probable value for attempts and 1:3.6 (more males) for completed suicides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study from Greece reporting rates on the basis of hospital archives. Attempt and suicide rates are low in Greece. Attempts are negatively and suicides are positively correlated with unemployment.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: kfount@med.auth.gr.
authors.forename: Konstantinos N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Fountoulakis
authors.affiliation: 1st Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Aristotle University, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: chrisavop@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savopoulos
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Agios Pavlos Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: marthaapost@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apostolopoulou
authors.affiliation: Achladochori Prefectural Outpatient Clinic, Serres County, Greece. Electronic address: rdampali@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Roxani
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dampali
authors.affiliation: Forensic Service of Thessaloniki, Ministry of Justice, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zaggelidou
authors.affiliation: 1st Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: linakarlafti@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karlafti
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Agios Pavlos Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: iliasfount@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fountoukidis
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, "G. Gennimatas" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: pkountis@windowslive.com.
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kountis
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, "G. Gennimatas" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: klim35@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Limenopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Agios Pavlos Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Eustratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Plomaritis
authors.affiliation: WHO National Counterpart for Mental Health, Greece. Electronic address: theodorakispavlos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Theodorakis
authors.affiliation: 1st Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Aristotle University, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: axatzito@med.auth.gr.
authors.forename: Apostolos I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Hatzitolios
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends
keywords: Austerity; Greece; Suicide attempts