An Epidemiological Survey of the Suicide Incidence Trends in the Southwest Iran: 2004-2009

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), School of Public Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Department of Epidemiology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Social Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Department of Statistics, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

 
Background
Elimination of suicide attempts is impossible, but they can be reduced dramatically by an organized planning. The present study aimed to survey the suicide trends in Fars province (Iran), during 2004-2009 to better understand the prevalence and status of suicide.
 
Methods
This survey was a cross-sectional study. The demographic data were collected from the civil status registry between 2004 and 2009. Suicide and suicide attempt data were collected of three sources including the affiliated hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, mortality data of Vice Chancellery of Health in Fars province and data from forensic medicine. Then, they were analyzed by Excel and SPSS. Chi-square and regression analyses were used for data analysis.
 
Results
During the study, 10671 people attempted suicide, of which 5697 (53%) were women and 4974 (47%) were men. Among them, 1047 people (9.8%) died, of which 363 (34%) were women and 679 (64%) were men. There was a significant relationship between gender and fatal suicide. The mean suicide attempt for both genders was 53 per 100,000 and 49, 57 for men and women, respectively. The trends in the incidence of Suicidal attempts were decreasing.
 
Conclusion
Without implementing effective preventive measures, the health care system in Iran will face a further burden of fatal suicides among young people. Therefore; enhancing the primary health care and specialized mental health services for those with unsuccessful suicide attempts can effectively reduce the burden of suicide.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 12 July 2013
  • Revise Date: 17 July 2013
  • Accept Date: 02 September 2013
  • First Publish Date: 09 September 2013

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