Elderly suicide in British Columbia: an exploration of regional variation and related factors.

In 1986, the Canadian Task Force on Suicide reported coast-to-coast variations in suicide rates across Canada. This review of 1,040 reported suicides in British Columbia between 1985 and 1988 shows variations in suicide rates that are related to population size. Elderly suicides are disproportionate in some, but not all, regions. Urban population centres have lower suicide rates than low population areas. Explorations of the factors which explain these variations may provide understanding of suicide and its prevention.