title: Differences among South Tyrolean suicides: a psychological autopsy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to study gender differences in the suicides in South Tyrol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2000 and 2009, the Department of Psychiatry of Bolzano administered questionnaires to the Provincial Departments of Public Health requesting information about causes and methods of completed suicides. Each suicide was then examined using a psychological autopsy methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 448 suicides studied (339 men and 109 women). Compared with men, women were more likely to live alone, have attempted suicide in the past, and to have contacted their general practitioners in the last weeks before dying. They were also less likely to have an alcohol use disorder, have used violent methods of suicide, and be 35 years or younger.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differences identified for South Tyrolean suicides confirmed previously reported gender differences in employment and marital status, history of a previous suicide attempt, and alcohol abuse. Appropriate gender-based preventive interventions are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giupponi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conca
authors.affiliation: Università Europea di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Innamorati
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 1035-1039 Via di Grottarossa, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.affiliation: The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 1035-1039 Via di Grottarossa, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erbuto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Brunico, Italy.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pycha
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 1035-1039 Via di Grottarossa, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Möller-Leimkühler
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 1035-1039 Via di Grottarossa, 00189, Rome, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pompili
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001344:Autopsy; D015897:Comorbidity; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Differences; Prevention; Suicide