Citation

Quinlan-Davidson M, Sanhueza A, Espinosa I, Escamilla-Cejudo JA, Maddaleno M. J. Adolesc. Health 2014; 54(3): 262-268.

Affiliation

Department of Adolescent Health Within the Area of Family and Community Health, Pan American Health Organization/Regional Office of the World Health Organization, Washington, DC.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.07.012

PMID

23992759

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine suicide mortality trends among young people (10-24 years of age(1)) in selected countries and territories of the Americas. METHODS: An ecological study was conducted using a time series of suicide mortality data from 19 countries and one territory in the Region of the Americas from 2001 to 2008, comprising 90.3% of the regional population. The analyses included age-adjusted suicide mortality rates, average annual variation in suicide mortality rates, and relative risks for suicide, by age and sex. RESULTS: The mean suicide rate for the selected study period and countries/territory was 5.7/100,000 young people (10-24 years), with suicide rates higher among males (7.7/100,000) than females (2.4/100,000). Countries with the highest total suicide mortality rates among young people (10-24 years) were Guyana, Suriname, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chile, and Ecuador; countries with the lowest total suicide mortality rates included Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, and Brazil, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. During this period, there was a significant increase in suicide mortality rates among young people in the following countries: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, and Suriname; countries with significant decreases in suicide mortality rates included Canada, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, and Venezuela. The three leading suicide methods in the Americas were hanging, firearms, and poisoning. CONCLUSIONS: Some countries of the Americas have experienced a rise in adolescent and youth suicide during the study period, with males at a higher risk of committing suicide than females. Adolescent and youth suicide policies and programs are recommended, to curb this problem. Methodological limitations are discussed.

Language: en