Epidemiology of suicide in Brazil between the years 2000 and 2010

Abstract

The incidence of suicide is increasing in Brazil and in the world as a whole, leading to an important public health problem. This research aimed to study the most common means for suicide through a detailed analysis of the epi­demiology of suicide in Brazil between the years 2000 and 2010. The Brazilian regions with the highest incidence and the sex and age with the highest rates of suicide were also analyzed. In addition, we sought to establish associations that could justify a higher or lower suicide rate in relation to each variable chosen. The epidemiological study was based on the analy­sis of articles published during the period defined for this work. In addition, manuals prepared by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and World Health Organization were used. It is concluded that the prevalence is higher in men than in women, with the South and Central West regions having the highest incidence. A lethal outcome caused by self-inflicted injuries, mainly by hanging, predominates. Moreover, this condition, that affected predominantly the elderly population, is now increasing among young people. In this context, it is possible to perceive the need to confront this important social, economic, and cultural problem with strategies for effective tracking, conduct, and treatment, in an attempt to reduce the incidence and absolute numbers of suicide in Brazil.