Objectives
To identify the causes, the profile of the victims, and the mortality in the last 13 years, investigating the assistance and socioeconomic changes that may have influenced this outcome.
Methods
It was used data from the Mortality Information System, Ripsa, and Datasus. The proportions of causes of suicide were calculated according to the ICD10 categories X60-X84, stratifying by injuries (X70-X84) and self-intoxication (X60-X69). It was analyzed the incidence by race, color, education and age, from 2000 to 2012. It was compared variations in suicide mortality with regional changes in coverage indicators, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
Results
The major causes of suicide were hanging, injury by firearms and self-intoxication by pesticides. The most affected were the least educated, indigenous (132% higher than the overall population), people over 59 years (29% higher). Rates among men are three times higher than among women in all regions, though, has greater growth among women (35%). The highest mortality rate was found in the South (9.8/100,000) and the highest growth in the Northeast (72.4%) region.
Conclusion
Mortality from suicide continues to grow in the country, but with significant regional variations. Health care also presents regional inequities, with significant gaps in health services. Brazil still lacks government programs that work effectively in suicide prevention. It is considered necessary to build a national prevention strategy focusing on populations at greatest risk identified: Indians, people with less education, men and people over 60 years old. Besides it is necessary to expand surveillance on illegal marketing of pesticides.
Suicide; suicide causes; regional differences; healthcare