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Trends in Suicide Mortality by Method from 1979 to 2016 in Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Bibha Dhungel

    (Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan)

  • Maaya Kita Sugai

    (Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
    Institute of Global Health Policy Research, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan)

  • Stuart Gilmour

    (Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan)

Abstract

Suicide is a major public health concern in Japan. This study aimed to characterize the trends in suicide mortality in Japan by method since 1979. Using data from the Japan vital registration system, we calculated age-standardized rates of suicide mortality separately by sex and method. We conducted a log-linear regression of suicide mortality rates separately by sex, and linear regression analysis of the proportion of deaths due to hanging, including a test for change in level and trend in 1998. While crude suicide rates were static over the time period, age-adjusted rates declined. The significant increase in suicide mortality in 1998 was primarily driven by large changes in the rate of hanging, with suicide deaths after 1998 having 36.7% higher odds of being due to hanging for men (95% CI: 16.3–60.8%), and 21.9% higher odds of being due to hanging for women (95% CI: 9.2–35.9%). Hanging has become an increasingly important method for committing suicide over the past 40 years, and although suicide rates have been declining continuously over this time, more effort is needed to prevent hanging and address the potential cultural drivers of suicide if the rate is to continue to decline in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Bibha Dhungel & Maaya Kita Sugai & Stuart Gilmour, 2019. "Trends in Suicide Mortality by Method from 1979 to 2016 in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:10:p:1794-:d:232884
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael P. Fay & Ram C. Tiwari & Eric J. Feuer & Zhaohui Zou, 2006. "Estimating Average Annual Percent Change for Disease Rates without Assuming Constant Change," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 62(3), pages 847-854, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Noelia Lucía Martínez-Rives & Bibha Dhungel & Pilar Martin & Stuart Gilmour, 2021. "Method-Specific Suicide Mortality Trends in Australian Men from 1978 to 2017," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Ryusuke Matsumoto & Eishi Motomura & Motohiro Okada, 2024. "Impacts of Working Hours, Wages, and Regular Employment Opportunity on Suicide Mortalities of Employed and Unemployed Individuals before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Ruri Okubo & Ryusuke Matsumoto & Eishi Motomura & Motohiro Okada, 2024. "Uncertainties of Economic Policy and Government Management Stability Played Important Roles in Increasing Suicides in Japan from 2009 to 2023," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(10), pages 1-18, October.
    4. Ryo Kato & Motohiro Okada, 2019. "Can Financial Support Reduce Suicide Mortality Rates?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-11, November.
    5. Bibha Dhungel & Tomoe Murakami & Koji Wada & Shunya Ikeda & Stuart Gilmour, 2022. "Difference in Mortality Rates by Occupation in Japanese Male Workers Aged 25 to 64 Years from 1980 to 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-11, September.
    6. Toshiki Hasegawa & Kouji Fukuyama & Motohiro Okada, 2021. "Relationships between Expenditure of Regional Governments and Suicide Mortalities Caused by Six Major Motives in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-18, December.
    7. Kishan Kariippanon & Coralie J. Wilson & Timothy J. McCarthy & Kairi Kõlves, 2019. "A Call for Preventing Suicide by Hanging from Ceiling Fans: An Interdisciplinary Research Agenda," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-5, July.

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