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. 2016 Feb 17:6:20256.
doi: 10.1038/srep20256.

Disparities in suicide mortality trends between United States of America and 25 European countries: retrospective analysis of WHO mortality database

Guillaume Fond  1   2   3   4 , Pierre-Michel Llorca  4   5 , Mohamed Boucekine  6 , Xavier Zendjidjian  7   6 , Lore Brunel  1   4 , Christophe Lancon  2   4 , Pascal Auquier  6 , Laurent Boyer  6
Affiliations

Disparities in suicide mortality trends between United States of America and 25 European countries: retrospective analysis of WHO mortality database

Guillaume Fond et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The objective was to examine changes in temporal trends in suicide mortality in 26 Western countries by retrospective trend analysis of the WHO mortality database on causes of deaths. From 1990 to 2010, there was a median reduction in suicide mortality of 22.7%, ranging from a 46% reduction in Estonia to a 26.2% increase in Romania. Suicide mortality decreased by ≥ 20% in 15 countries, and the reduction tended to be greater in countries with higher mortality in 1990. In most of the central European countries mortality strongly declined. The median changes in the age groups were -25.3% (range -62.9% to 72.6%) in people aged 15-24 years, -36.9% (-60.5% to 32.4%) in 25-34 years, -3.6% (-57.1% to 92%) in 35-54 years, -12.2% (-37% to 65,7%) in 55-74 years and -16.1% (-54.5% to 166.7%) in ≥ 75 years. Suicide prevention programs in youths and in the elderly seem to be effective (at least in females for the elderly) and efforts should be pursued in this way. However, suicide mortality of the people aged 35-54 years has increased in half of the studied countries between 1990 and 2010. Public policies should further orientate their efforts toward this population.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Decrease in age-standardized death rates by suicide >35% between 1990 and 2010. (B). Decrease in age-standardized death rates by suicide between 15 and 35% between 1990 and 2010 (C). Decrease in age-standardized death rates by suicide <15% between 1990 and 2010.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Percentage changes in suicide mortality in European countries and USA during 1990–2010 according to the mean suicide mortality in 1990.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Time series of suicide attempts between 1990 and 2010 in 26 countries (25 European countries + USA) grouped by trajectories.
ASDRs Age-standardized death rates. Group 1: Armenia and Greece. Group 2: Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Portugal. Group 3: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Romania, USA. Group 4: Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia. Group 5: Lithuania.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Evolution of suicide mortality in the 35–54 years males.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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