Epidemiology of suicide in the Tricity metropolitan area in northern Poland 1980–2009: Evidence of influence by political and socioeconomic changes

Abstract

Objectives: The paper presents the results of the statistical analyses of completed suicides in the Tri-City area, Poland from 1980 to 2009. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the trait dynamics of completed suicides in the context of drastic political and socioeconomic transformations. Methods: Statistical analysis of approximately 30,000 autopsy cases, including 3885 suicides, was performed. All data were evaluated using the STATISTICA version 10 software. Results: The analyses revealed an increasing number of suicide completers. Men committed suicide more frequently and were younger than female suicide committers. We observed also an increase in the mean age of suicide completers. More suicides occurred in the spring and summer compared to autumn and winter seasons. The most common method of suicide was hanging. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest temporal changes in trends, methods and social profile of suicide attempters related to political and socioeconomic changes in Poland in the years 1980–2009. These included the activity of the opposition movement “Solidarity”, the introduction of martial law in December 1981, the fall of communism and democratization processes, and the shifting from the system of a centrally planned economy to a neoliberal capitalism.

Keywords

• Forensic science
• Suicide
• Epidemiology
• Spatio-temporal analysis