[Suicide and suicide attempts by exogenous poisoning in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: information analysis through probabilistic linkage].

Poisoning is one of the three main means used in suicide and suicides attempts. In order to improve the quality of such information, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on case records in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 2006 to 2008, in the databases of the Information System on Diseases of Notification (SINAN), the Mortality Information System (SIM), and the Poison Control Center in Niterói (CCIn-Niterói). Probabilistic linkage was used to develop a model for monitoring suicides and suicide attempts by poisoning. Although 68.8% of the 948 records at CCIn had been reported by health professionals, only 2.6% were included in the other databases. Linking CCIn and SIM showed 61.3% underreporting. Information is important for surveillance, public policy-making, and decision-making. Probabilistic linkage allowed identifying problems in each system and provided better data quality and a more accurate diagnosis of the real situation in a complex and serious problem like suicidal behavior.