Suicide in Jamaica: some socio-demographic findings [abstract]

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to examine trends in suicide in Jamaica from 1974 to 2000; socio-demographic variables for suicide over the past 5 years and specific aspects of in the year 2000 were examined. Figures for suicide in Jamaica over the period 1974-2000, provided by the Police Computing Centre, were examined. The trends in respect of suicide methods used, and socio-demographic factors age, gender, location (urban/rural), over the period 1996 to date were identified, and additionally, 57 cases (51 males, 6 females) of suicide in 2000, to date, were examined via month/ quarter of occurrence, and possible precipitating factors, including mental disorder, stressful life events, and larger social issues. The ages of the suicide cases ranged from 15 to 78 years with a mean age of 40 years. The data were analyzed at the Department of Administrative Computing. The SPSS package was used. There was a marked increase in suicide from 1992. Linear regression indicated a continued increase in suicide over the following three years unless there was appropriate intervention. Hanging emerged as the most commonly used method of suicide by both men (80.4 percent, (n= 41) and women (66.7 percent, (n= 4). Chi-square analysis showed no significant difference between the genders, both choosing hanging over all other methods. Regarding age and method, 100 percent of cases in age groups 20 to 29 years (n= 13) and 70 to 79 years (n= 6) used hanging, while 80 percent of cases in age group 50 to 59 years (n= 5) chose methods other than hanging, including shooting, setting self on fire, drowning, jumping from a height, throat and wrist slashing, and ingestion of poisonous liquids (levels of significance, p= 0.006). (AU)