Trends and ecological results in suicides among Italian youth aged 10-25 years: A nationwide register study.
Adolescents
Children
Mortality
Prevention
Suicide
Suicide methods
Trend
Urbanization
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 03 2021
01 03 2021
Historique:
received:
01
07
2020
revised:
15
10
2020
accepted:
24
12
2020
pubmed:
9
1
2021
medline:
24
4
2021
entrez:
8
1
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Documenting current trends and sources of variation in youth suicide rates is critical to inform prevention strategies. We aimed to document suicide mortality trends among Italian youth from 1981 to 2016 and to describe age-, gender- and urbanization-specific suicide rates. We used official mortality data for the period 1981-2016 for adolescents and young adults aged 10-25 years. We estimated standardized all-cause and suicide mortality rates per 100,000 individuals and used joinpoint regression analyses to determine annual mortality trends and significant changes in rate trends. Analyses were reported according to gender, age group (10-17 and 18-25 years), urbanization and suicide method. From 1981 to 2016, 1,752 suicides were identified among youth aged 10-17 years (boy/girl ratio of 5.80 in 2016) and 9,897 suicides among youth aged 18-25 years (boy/girl ratio of 3.97 in 2016). Overall suicide rates remained stable for boys and showed a small decrease for girls. Suicide was most common in rural areas for boys and in metropolitan areas for girls. We observed a significant decrease in the use of firearms and poisoning; the most common suicide method was hanging for boys and falls for girls. We did not control for regional-level sociodemographic, economic and health care system characteristics. Youth suicides were either stable (for boys) or slightly declining (for girls). We found differences according to urban versus rural areas, suggesting the need for a broader view of the phenomenon. Factors influencing these trends and gender differences in the geographical areas are important in delivering suicide prevention strategies.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Documenting current trends and sources of variation in youth suicide rates is critical to inform prevention strategies. We aimed to document suicide mortality trends among Italian youth from 1981 to 2016 and to describe age-, gender- and urbanization-specific suicide rates.
METHODS
We used official mortality data for the period 1981-2016 for adolescents and young adults aged 10-25 years. We estimated standardized all-cause and suicide mortality rates per 100,000 individuals and used joinpoint regression analyses to determine annual mortality trends and significant changes in rate trends. Analyses were reported according to gender, age group (10-17 and 18-25 years), urbanization and suicide method.
RESULTS
From 1981 to 2016, 1,752 suicides were identified among youth aged 10-17 years (boy/girl ratio of 5.80 in 2016) and 9,897 suicides among youth aged 18-25 years (boy/girl ratio of 3.97 in 2016). Overall suicide rates remained stable for boys and showed a small decrease for girls. Suicide was most common in rural areas for boys and in metropolitan areas for girls. We observed a significant decrease in the use of firearms and poisoning; the most common suicide method was hanging for boys and falls for girls.
LIMITATIONS
We did not control for regional-level sociodemographic, economic and health care system characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS
Youth suicides were either stable (for boys) or slightly declining (for girls). We found differences according to urban versus rural areas, suggesting the need for a broader view of the phenomenon. Factors influencing these trends and gender differences in the geographical areas are important in delivering suicide prevention strategies.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33418363
pii: S0165-0327(20)33232-8
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.142
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
165-172Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.