One suicide death in the world every 43 seconds

BarcelonaSuicide deaths are a serious public health problem worldwide: 740,000 suicides are reported each year, or one death every 43 seconds on average. This is the conclusion of a study by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, which analyzed suicide mortality rates between 1990 and 2021 and collected data on the global burden of the disease. According to this research published this Wednesday in the journal The Lancet Public Health, Every minute, four men and six women need hospital treatment for a suicide attempt.

"Eliminating the stigma of suicide and barriers to accessing mental health care systems remain critical measures, especially among people with mental and substance abuse disorders," warns the study's lead author and researcher Mohsen Naghavi. Still, the research findings reveal that between 1990 and 2021, the overall suicide mortality rate decreased by almost 40%, indicating that early intervention and prevention policies are working. However, this improvement is not universal, and there are regions and countries where suicides have been increasing.

For example, in Central Latin American countries, they rose by 39%, with Mexico leading the region's list with a 123% increase for women alone. Andean Latin America was the region with the second largest increase (13%), with Ecuador having the largest increase for both sexes. Tropical Latin American states were third (9%), with Paraguay leading the region's list. In fourth place were the high-income countries of North America, which increased by 7%, with the United States leading the region's list, with a jump of 23% for women alone.

The authors also note the high rates recorded in Eastern Europe, Southern Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Sub-Saharan Africa. In contrast, the areas where indicators have improved the most are the countries of East Asia and Western Europe, mainly thanks to the implementation of prevention policies. This preventive effort resulted in a decrease in mortality of 65.7% and 40.8% respectively. Also notable is the decrease in mortality in Central Europe, with a fall in deaths of 39.8%.

Men die from suicide twice as often as women

The authors of the study also analyse mortality by sex and warn that men die by suicide twice as often as women. Men's attempts result in death three times more often than women's. This is because men tend to choose more violent and lethal suicide methods, while women are more likely to choose means that "have a higher survival rate", explains Emily Rosenblad, second author of the study and head of the project at IHME. However, women are 49% more likely to attempt it.

The research has also shown that access to lethal means is associated with higher suicide rates. In fact, another variable that the researchers have taken into account is the use of firearms, one of the reasons that explains why the suicide rate in the United States has increased. According to the conclusions of the study, in the United States 55% of men and 31% of women who committed suicide were carrying weapons. Researchers also warn that there are other variables that influence these rates: victims of violence, sexual assault and childhood trauma are at higher risk, as are people who suffer from poverty and social deprivation.

The pandemic, a turning point

While the study highlights that between 1990 and 2021 the rates on a global scale have decreased, the researcher of the Mental Health Research Group of the Sant Pau Research Institute, Víctor Serrano-Gimeno, warns the ARA that there is already evidence that the pandemic has increased. "Suicide is not an isolated phenomenon that affects only people with mental health illnesses. Everyone is exposed," warns the expert, who has not participated in the research. According to a study that Serrano-Gimeno published last year, non-lethal suicidal behaviors, that is, suicide ideation or attempts, have increased as a result of the health crisis. Specifically, they rose by 50.77% after confinement.

For all these reasons, IHME researchers are identifying existing patterns and trends to develop more effective suicide prevention methods around the world, which can help policy makers and health workers develop more personalized strategies and approaches for specific locations and populations. They also argue that suicide prevention is most effective when communities work together through awareness, intervention and support systems.