Citation

Marusic A, Landau SF, Tomori M. Arch. Suicide Res. 2003; 7(1): 135-143.

Affiliation

Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, U.K.; School of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811110301578

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Characteristics of suicide among youth do not necessarily follow the pattern found in adults. Nevertheless, not many comparisons between young and adult suicides have been reported to date. Our aim was to compare trends, seasonality, weekly distribution, and methods of youth suicide with suicide in older population. The research was based on records for all 7,942 completed suicides in Slovenia between 1985 and 1997. Poisson regression modelling was used to study the long-term trend, monthly and weekly distributions, the suicide method, and the interaction of these factors with sex and age. A significant interaction was demonstrated between the long-term trend and age, but not with sex. Suicide rates were estimated to decrease in adults but not in youth. On the other hand sex, but not age, interacted with suicide method. Age and sex did not interact with monthly or weekly distribution of suicide. Trends and other clinically relevant characteristics of suicide among youth may be hidden if the overall suicide statistics are calculated.