Epidemiology of suicide and suicide attempt

In Germany, the number of suicides exceed the number of deaths due to traffic accidents. The suicide rates increase as age increases. Mainly due to their older age-groups, the ''new states'' in Germany have higher rates than the ''old states''. Groups with a special risk for suicide are people with psychiatric illnesses, the elderly, loners, those with chronic diseases, and people who have previously attempted suicide. According to the results of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Parasuicide, the rates of suicide attempts are now only one third of the rates of the seventies. Younger age groups, expecially younger females, have higher suicide attempt rates. The current ratios of suicide to suicide attempts are 1:3.5 for males and 1.15 for females. Groups with a special risk for suicide attempts include also patients with psychiatric illnesses, persons in unstable personal relationships, and people with detrimental social conditions.