Citation

Andriessen K. Eur. J. Public Health 2006; 16(4): 445.

Affiliation

Suicide Prevention Project, Flemish Mental Health Federation, Martelaarslaan 204, 9000 Gent, Belgium.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/eurpub/ckl056

PMID

16641155

Abstract

Misclassifications result in underreported official suicide data. Underreporting varies across countries. Chishti, et al (Eur J Public Health 2003;13:108-14) looked at the 1984-98 mortality of suicide and undetermined causes in the European Union (EU) countries. Similar to suicide rates, undetermined causes were lowest in Mediterranean countries, and lowest in Greece. However, Portugal had the highest rate of undetermined causes, and only here this rate exceeded the suicide rate. Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and Spain had a significant negative correlation between suicide rates and undetermined causes. Finland, Greece, The Netherlands, and Sweden had positive correlations, and no significant correlations in the remaining countries. The rates of suicide plus undetermined causes did not differ in the course of time, when compared with suicide rates, except in Spain where the 17% significant increase in suicide mortality (1984-98) decreased to only 8% with the combined rates.

The authors of this brief report points out the factors that may lead to misclassification -- varying recording and classification systems (e.g. necessity of a suicide note, coroner investigation), socio-cultural norms (e.g. stigma, child suicide), recorded aspects (e.g. marital status, religion, occupation, social class), and varying confidentiality levels. The influence of these factors was briefly discussed.

Language: en