Impact of Taiwan's Suicide Prevention Act.

Abstract

Background: Taiwan is among the few jurisdictions adopting a legislative approach to suicide prevention; a Suicide Prevention Act was implemented in June 2019. Aim: This study evaluates overall, age-, sex-, and method-specific suicide rates before and after the implementation of the Act. Methods: Monthly suicide mortality data from 2015 to 2023 were analyzed using interrupted time-series analysis using segmented regression with a quasi-Poisson distribution. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Results: An immediate 10.1% reduction in overall suicide rates was observed after the enactment of the Suicide Prevention Act (IRR = 0.899, 95% CI = 0.837-0.966), although long-term trends remained unchanged. Hanging suicides declined steadily (IRR = 0.996, 95% CI = 0.993-0.999), while jumping suicides rose. Youth suicides (15-24 years) stabilized postintervention, and the 45-64-year age group experienced a significant decline (IRR = 0.849, 95% CI = 0.764, 0.942). In contrast, suicide rates among older adults (≥65 years) increased. Limitations: Unmeasured factors may have affected the results. Some components of the plan began before the Act, limiting attribution of effects solely to the law. Conclusion: Taiwan's legislative approach may have helped stabilize suicide rates, especially among youth and middle-aged adults. Ongoing efforts should focus on older adults and shifts in suicide methods.