Factores predisponentes y métodos de suicidio: Mini-revisión de la actualidad

Abstract

Suicide is a major global public health problem, especially among young and middle-aged adults. According to the WHO, worldwide, approximately 800 000 people commit suicide every year. Some predisposing factors for suicide are related to the personal sphere and are universal, such as biological conditions or psychiatric pathology, childhood adversities, as well as social and community perspective: housing situation, religion, social integration and support, unemployment, stress. The highest frequencies of occurrence have been found in males and in the age groups between 15 and 25 years, or over 65 years. Regarding suicide methods, there is a predilection for hanging in most countries, and although suicide methods do not differ much from one country to another, it should be considered that they vary according to the access to lethal methods. Men are reported to commit suicide more frequently using violent methods. A greater recognition of the risk factors and suicide methods used is necessary to raise awarenes among the population and prevention.