Characterization of suicidal behavior in Cuba, 2011-2014

Abstract

Introduction:  Suicidal behavior includes suicide attempt and consummated suicide.  A total of 804 000 deaths by suicide were registered in the world in 2012.  In Cuba, suicide is the ninth cause of death and the third one in the group of 10-19 years of age.
Objective: To characterize suicidal behavior in Cuba from 2011 to 2014.
Material and methods: The sampling universe was composed of all registries of morbidity by suicide attempt and the registries of mortality by suicide, taken from the database of the Direction of Registry and Statistics of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, from 2011 to 2014.  The variables were: sex, age for the attempt, skin color, occupation, and the method used for suicide. The accumulated morbidity and mortality rates were calculated by groups of ages per 100 000 inhabitants as well as the gross-, adequate-, -and sex-specific rates; the man-woman cause of mortality; and the attempt-suicide relationship.  The relative change (percentage) was calculated, as well as the percentages according to the variables.
Results: A total of 53 764 suicide attempts were reported, for an accumulated rate of 126.2 per 100 000 inhabitants.  The female sex presented 37 617 (70 %). The attempt-suicide relationship was 9.1. A total of 5942 deaths by suicide were reported, for an accumulated rate of 14.8 per 100 000 inhabitants. The occupation that predominated was the retired one (29.8%), and the most used method was hanging (76.4%).
Conclusions: Females are more affected by attempts whereas suicide is more common in males. The attempt-suicide relationship decreases as age increases.

Keywords: suicide attempt, suicide, self-inflicted lesions, suicidal behavior.