Trends in Suicide Mortality Rates for Turkey from 1987 to 2011: A Joinpoint Regression Analysis

BACKGROUND: Suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally in all age groups and it is still a significant social and public health problem. METHODS: Data on suicide deaths in 1987-2011 were extracted from the Turkish Statistical Institute mortality dataset based on ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. The temporal trend in age-standardized suicide rates was tested for age, gender and methods using Joinpoint Regression Analysis. RESULTS: The average of age-standardized suicide rates of the period 1987-2011 were 3.08 per 100,000 people, 3.95 for male and 2.21 for female. Significant increases were observed in males in all age groups, but no significant changes were observed in females over the age of 45. The most common methods of suicide among people who live in Turkey were hanging, poisoning, firearms and jumping. CONCLUSION: High-risk groups could benefit from targeted strategies of suicide prevention. To understand the important influences on suicide risk in different age groups, future studies must investigate the experiences of older and younger individuals separately.