OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiological characteristics and the specific patterns of suicide death in Zhuhai population in order to provide decision-making evidence for suicide intervention. METHODS: To describe epidemic properties of suicide death of registered population by using the data of Mortality Registration System from 2003 to 2005 in Zhuhai. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2005, the average death rate of suicide and the standard rate in registered population in Zhuhai were 6.43 and 6.61 per 100000, respectively. Suicide death was the second death cause following traffic accident. The standard rates for male, female, country and city population were 8.69, 4.68, 9.03 and 5.05 per 100000, respectively. The standard rate in male population was higher than that in female one (U = 3.47, P < 0.01), and the standard rate in the country was higher than that in the city (U = 3.45, P < 0.01). The average death rate of suicide increased with increasing age, especially in the male population over 60 years old. The main suicide ways included hanging oneself and taking poisons with their rates in all suicide deaths being up to 80%. CONCLUSION: The mean death rate of suicide in registered population in Zhuhai is lower than national average rate in China. The specific patterns of suicide death in Zhuhai population have suicide characteristics present both in China and in the foreign countries, that is, suicide death rate in the country is higher than in the city, and men are more likely to kill themselves than women, especially aged men.
OBJECTIVE: To understand the epidemiological characteristics and the specific patterns of suicide death in Zhuhai population in order to provide decision-making evidence for suicide intervention. METHODS: To describe epidemic properties of suicide death of registered population by using the data of Mortality Registration System from 2003 to 2005 in Zhuhai. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2005, the average death rate of suicide and the standard rate in registered population in Zhuhai were 6.43 and 6.61 per 100000, respectively. Suicide death was the second death cause following traffic accident. The standard rates for male, female, country and city population were 8.69, 4.68, 9.03 and 5.05 per 100000, respectively. The standard rate in male population was higher than that in female one (U = 3.47, P < 0.01), and the standard rate in the country was higher than that in the city (U = 3.45, P < 0.01). The average death rate of suicide increased with increasing age, especially in the male population over 60 years old. The main suicide ways included hanging oneself and taking poisons with their rates in all suicide deaths being up to 80%. CONCLUSION: The mean death rate of suicide in registered population in Zhuhai is lower than national average rate in China. The specific patterns of suicide death in Zhuhai population have suicide characteristics present both in China and in the foreign countries, that is, suicide death rate in the country is higher than in the city, and men are more likely to kill themselves than women, especially aged men.