Epidemiology of suicide in Israel: a nationwide population study

BACKGROUND: In Israel, some population characteristics and lifestyle patterns make epidemiological research on suicide of particular interest. The Israeli population is characterized by ethnic diversity, with a multi-religious, multi-national mosaic of Jews and Arabs. These subgroups also vary in their suicidal behavior. The aims of the present study were to examine the trends in suicide incidence rates in Israel from 1984 to 1994, to identify sub-populations at high risk for suicide and to identify suicide methods associated with increased risk. METHODS: Suicide rate trends in Israel over the period from 1984 to 1994 were examined for four subgroups: Jewish men and women, and Arab men and women. Cases of undetermined external cause (UEC) of death were also considered. Mortality data were obtained from the computerized data files of the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, which includes cause of death and sociodemographic variables. Suicide was classified according to the ICD-9 codes. RESULTS: Suicide rates were higher for Jews than for Arabs, and higher for men than for women. The rates among both population and sex groups increased directly with age. A significant increase over the years studied was found for Jewish men, particularly in the 18- to 21-year-old age group. An increase in the use of firearms was noted, mainly in the groups in which total suicide rates increased. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlight the need for further studies to identify both sub-populations at high risk for suicide, and societal trends such as lifestyles, immigration, military service, and media exposure to violence, as first steps toward planning of intervention programs to reduce suicide rates.