Authors: Urs Hepp Niklaus Stulz Jürg UngerKöppel Vladeta AjdacicGross
Publish Date: 2011/12/01
Volume: 21, Issue: 2, Pages: 67-73
Abstract
Although relatively rare suicide is a leading cause of death in children and adolescents in the Western world This study examined whether children and adolescents are drawn to other methods of suicide than adults Swiss suicides from 1998 to 2007 were examined The main methods of suicide were analysed with respect to age and gender Of the 12226 suicides which took place in this 10year period 333 were committed by children and adolescents 226 males 107 females The most prevalent methods of suicide in children and adolescents 0–19 years were hanging jumping from heights and railwaysuicides both genders intoxication females and firearms males Compared to adults railwaysuicides were overrepresented in young males and females both P 001 Jumping from heights was overrepresented in young males P 001 Thus availability has an important effect on methods of suicide chosen by children and adolescents Restricting access to most favoured methods of suicide might be an important strategy in suicide prevention
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