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Specific characteristics of suicide in China
Author(s) -
Qin P.,
Mortensen Preben Bo
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00008.x
Subject(s) - china , danish , demography , suicide prevention , suicide rates , poison control , injury prevention , suicide methods , occupational safety and health , population , human factors and ergonomics , geography , medicine , gerontology , environmental health , sociology , philosophy , linguistics , archaeology , pathology
Objective: The aims of this paper are (i) to describe the specific characteristics of suicide in China and compare it with that in a western country, Denmark; and (ii) to discuss the accuracy of suicide data and the possible explanations for suicide behaviour in China. Method: Data for the study are obtained from the World Health Statistics Annual based on official records in China and the Danish Cause‐of‐Death Register, and standardized according to the age‐specified population of China in 1990. Results: The specific characteristics of suicide in China differed strikingly from the general pattern of suicide in other western countries as well as in Denmark: suicide rates in females were higher than in males; rural rates were more than three times higher than urban rates; suicide rates peaked for those aged 75+ years, but with a minor peak in females for those aged 15–24 years old. Conclusion: These specific characteristics of suicide in China may possibly be interpreted in terms of traditional culture, social forces, political environment and economic status.