Suicide mortality among youth in southern Brazil: a spatiotemporal evaluation of socioeconomic vulnerability

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a geospatial analysis of suicide deaths among young people in the state of Paraná , southern Brazil, and evaluate their association with socioeconomic and spatial determinants. Methods: Data were obtained from the Mortality Information System and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Data on suicide mortality rates (SMR) were extracted for three age groups (15-19, 20-24, and 25-29 years) from two 5-year periods (1998-2002 and 2008-2012). Geospatial data were analyzed through exploratory spatial data analysis. We applied Bayesian networks algorithms to explore the network structure of the socioeconomic predictors of SMR. Results: We observed spatial dependency in SMR in both periods, revealing geospatial clusters of high SMR. Our results show that socioeconomic deprivation at the municipality level was an important determinant of suicide in the youth population in Paraná , and significantly influenced the formation of high-risk SMR clusters. Conclusion: While youth suicide is multifactorial, there are predictable geospatial and sociodemographic factors associated with high SMR among municipalities in Paraná. Suicide among youth aged 15-29 occurs in geographic clusters which are associated with socioeconomic deprivation. Rural settings with poor infrastructure and development also correlate with increased SMR clusters.

Brazilian Psychiatric Association guidelines for the management of suicidal behavior. Part 2. Screening, intervention, and prevention

“…1,2 Approximately 800,000 suicides are completed worldwide each year, which means that every 40 seconds, a person dies by suicide. 1 In 2016, Brazil had 9.7 deaths by suicide per 100,000 population, which generates great concern, even though this number seems small when compared to the numbers of other countries in America. 1,2 After years of research, it is already possible to identify the effectiveness of interventions and prevention based on the survey of risk factors and clinical research.…”

“…1 In 2016, Brazil had 9.7 deaths by suicide per 100,000 population, which generates great concern, even though this number seems small when compared to the numbers of other countries in America. 1,2 After years of research, it is already possible to identify the effectiveness of interventions and prevention based on the survey of risk factors and clinical research. 3 Although the evidence is still unsatisfactory and controversies remain, some procedures with definite impact on specific patient populations have already been identified.…”

Brazilian Psychiatric Association guidelines for the management of suicidal behavior. Part 1. Risk factors, protective factors, and assessment

“…Several factors have been observed: age, sex, ethnicity, and related parameters; social status (low income, income inequality, unemployment, low education, and low social support); social change (urbanization and income change); neighborhood (inadequate housing, overcrowding, and violence); and environmental impacts (climate change, natural catastrophe, war, conflict, and migration). 8,84 An important observation is that the definition of whether a variable is a risk or protective factor depends on the reference group. 76 For example, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people between the ages of 60 and 64 have a higher prevalence of deaths by suicide than children aged 5 to 9 years, but a lower prevalence rate of deaths by suicide than those aged 80 to 84 years.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] According to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide is a serious public health problem and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. [6][7][8] Throughout the world, approximately 800,000 people die by suicide each year, accounting for 1.5% of all deaths. 9 Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in North America and the foremost cause of death worldwide among persons 15 to 24 years of age.…”

“…10,11 The WHO estimated that the 2016 suicide rate was 10.6 per 100,000 persons, with 80% of suicides occurring in low-and middle-income countries. 6,8,10,11 Across the six WHO regions, the incidence of suicide differed by a factor of four between the region with the highest rate (Europe) and the region with the lowest rate (the Eastern Mediterranean, including the Middle East). Worldwide, suicide rates are higher in older people and among men (15.6 suicides per 100,000) than they are among women (7.0 per 100,000).…”