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Suicide in Austrian children and young adolescents aged 14 and younger

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Abstract

Introduction

Research on suicide in childhood and early adolescence is sparse. We investigated suicide cases of children and young adolescents in terms of prevalence, gender differences, suicide methods and monthly distribution during a period of 32 years.

Methods

Registered suicides aged 14 or younger occurring between 1970 and 2001 (n = 275) in Austria were studied.

Results

The mean suicide rate for 10 to 14-year-olds was 1.4 per 100,000 with a male–female ratio of 3.1:1. The total child and young adolescent suicide rate and boys’ suicide rates decreased over the study period. However, there was no significant fluctuation in girls’ suicide rates. Hanging was the predominant suicide method in both genders. Use of this method decreased steadily over the study period, whereas the percentage of suicides by other methods, i.e., jumping and firearms suicides increased. Greater number of suicides in children and young adolescents was observed during the months of April/May and October/November.

Conclusion

Suicide rates of children and young adolescents in Austria are on the decrease, in accordance with a reported decrease in the general suicide rate in Austria.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr. Konrad Friedrich for his assistance in data analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Kanita Dervic MD & Max H. Friedrich MD

  2. Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Elisabeth Friedrich MD

  3. Dept. of Neuroscience/NYSPI, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Maria A. Oquendo MD

  4. Dept. of Basic Psychological Research, School of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Martin Voracek DSc, PhD

  5. Dept. of Medical Psychology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Gernot Sonneck MD

Authors
  1. Kanita Dervic MD
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  2. Elisabeth Friedrich MD
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  3. Maria A. Oquendo MD
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  4. Martin Voracek DSc, PhD
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  5. Max H. Friedrich MD
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  6. Gernot Sonneck MD
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Correspondence to Kanita Dervic MD.

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Dervic, K., Friedrich, E., Oquendo, M. et al. Suicide in Austrian children and young adolescents aged 14 and younger. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 15, 427–434 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-006-0551-6

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