Epidemiology and Spatiotemporal Clustering of Suicides in the State of Pernambuco (1999–2018)

Abstract

Suicide is a worldwide public health problem. Spatial analysis techniques are useful to describe suicide patterns in different regions, identifying priority areas. The present study sought to describe the spatiotemporal pattern of suicides in the state of Pernambuco (Brazil) from 1999 to 2018. This is an ecological study with suicide data recorded in the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM-Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade). Thematic maps of the gross mean coefficients and local empirical Bayes method were developed to investigate the suicide spatial pattern in two decades. Spatial autocorrelation and critical clusters were verified using the Global Moran's Index and local indicators of spatial association. There were 6610 suicides. The mortality rate was 5.2 and 5.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in the first and second decades, respectively.