Epidemiologic Reviews Advance Access originally published online on July 24, 2008
Epidemiologic Reviews 2008 30(1):133-154; doi:10.1093/epirev/mxn002
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Epidemiologic Reviews Published by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2008.
ARTICLES |
Suicide and Suicidal Behavior
1 Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2 Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria, Mexico City, Mexico
3 Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
4 Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
5 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
6 Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
7 Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
Correspondence to Dr. Matthew K. Nock, Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Room 1280, Cambridge, MA 02138 (e-mail: nock{at}wjh.harvard.edu)
accepted for publication March 25, 2008.
Suicidal behavior is a leading cause of injury and death worldwide. Information about the epidemiology of such behavior is important for policy-making and prevention. The authors reviewed government data on suicide and suicidal behavior and conducted a systematic review of studies on the epidemiology of suicide published from 1997 to 2007. The authors' aims were to examine the prevalence of, trends in, and risk and protective factors for suicidal behavior in the United States and cross-nationally. The data revealed significant cross-national variability in the prevalence of suicidal behavior but consistency in age of onset, transition probabilities, and key risk factors. Suicide is more prevalent among men, whereas nonfatal suicidal behaviors are more prevalent among women and persons who are young, are unmarried, or have a psychiatric disorder. Despite an increase in the treatment of suicidal persons over the past decade, incidence rates of suicidal behavior have remained largely unchanged. Most epidemiologic research on suicidal behavior has focused on patterns and correlates of prevalence. The next generation of studies must examine synergistic effects among modifiable risk and protective factors. New studies must incorporate recent advances in survey methods and clinical assessment. Results should be used in ongoing efforts to decrease the significant loss of life caused by suicidal behavior.
psychiatry • public health • risk factors • self-injurious behavior • suicide • suicide, attempted
CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • IQR, interquartile range • SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors • WHO, World Health Organization • WISQARS, Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System