OBJECTIVE: To identify cause-of-death categories in which suicides might be misclassified in Taiwan. METHODS: We plotted secular trends (1971-2007) in sex- and method-specific rates of deaths classified as suicide, undetermined intent and accident for the Taiwanese population aged 15+ and compared the sex, age and marital status profiles of deaths in these three categories by method of death. RESULTS: The demographic profiles of registered suicides generally resembled those for deaths of undetermined intent and accidents by pesticide poisoning/suffocation but differed from those for accidents from non-pesticide poisoning/drowning/falling/poisoning by non-domestic gas. For the period 1990-2007, suicide rates based on suicides alone (14.8 per 100,000) would increase by 23, 7 and 1%, respectively, when including deaths of undetermined intent, accidental pesticide poisonings and accidental suffocations. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide rates may be underestimated by more than 30% in Taiwan because some suicides are 'hidden' amongst deaths certified as due to other causes.
OBJECTIVE: To identify cause-of-death categories in which suicides might be misclassified in Taiwan. METHODS: We plotted secular trends (1971-2007) in sex- and method-specific rates of deaths classified as suicide, undetermined intent and accident for the Taiwanese population aged 15+ and compared the sex, age and marital status profiles of deaths in these three categories by method of death. RESULTS: The demographic profiles of registered suicides generally resembled those for deaths of undetermined intent and accidents by pesticide poisoning/suffocation but differed from those for accidents from non-pesticide poisoning/drowning/falling/poisoning by non-domestic gas. For the period 1990-2007, suicide rates based on suicides alone (14.8 per 100,000) would increase by 23, 7 and 1%, respectively, when including deaths of undetermined intent, accidental pesticide poisonings and accidental suffocations. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide rates may be underestimated by more than 30% in Taiwan because some suicides are 'hidden' amongst deaths certified as due to other causes.
Authors: E Jougla; F Pequignot; Jl Chappert; F Rossollin; A Le Toullec; G Pavillon Journal: Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique Date: 2002-01 Impact factor: 1.019
Authors: Eleni Karasouli; David Owens; Rachel L Abbott; Keith M Hurst; Michael Dennis Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2010-03-25 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Shu-Sen Chang; Simon Sai Man Kwok; Qijin Cheng; Paul S F Yip; Ying-Yeh Chen Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2015-04-10 Impact factor: 4.328