Suicide mortality and socio-economic transition in Lithuania: critical points in time and place

Abstract

Background In Lithuania, suicide is one of the leading causes of death of able-bodied population, particularly males and rural populations. The aim of this study was to analyse trends in suicide mortality and to detect demographic and urban/rural differences in cut points over 15 years of socio-economic transition. Methods Information on deaths from suicides for the 1990–2005 period was obtained from Lithuanian Department of Statistics. Mortality rates were analysed according to urban/rural residence, sex and age. The Jointpoint analysis was used to identify the best-fitting points, wherever a statistically significant change in mortality occurred. Results Throughout the 15 years under investigation, suicide mortality of Lithuanian population over 20 years of age, have not changed significantly, nevertheless, considerable fluctuations have occurred in different periods of socio-economic transition. The age-standardized suicide mortality rates demonstrated the most critical change in 1994 for males and 1995 for females, when an increasing trend (by 17.2% in males and 9.6% in females per year) reversed to a decreasing one (by 2.2% in males and 3.0% in females per year). Trends were more favourable in urban populations, compare to the rural, following the same pattern of cut points in urban areas (1994 for males and 1995 for females). In rural areas, suicide mortality was considerably higher and the change point for males was 1994, while for females—1992, with much less decline, (not statistically significant in females). In the population over 65 years, the cut points in mortality were the same, as for the younger age groups, however, the decline in mortality of males and females both in urban and rural areas was not significant. Conclusions Despite a recent decline in suicide mortality, both in urban and rural areas, less favourable trends in rural areas are likely to stratify urban/rural health outcomes in the future. Future progress requires [...].