Epidemiological survey of suicide in Golestan province in the North of Iran (2003)

Background and purpose: Suicide is one of the most important causes of death in the world. The prevalence of suicide varies in different parts of Iran and the world. This study was done to determine the prevalence and types of suicide and its relation to gender, age and education in Golestan prevalence in North of Iran.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 1857 patients admitted to general hospitals in Golestan province during 2003. The data were collected through questionnaires filled by health workers and analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The prevalence of suicide was 117.8, 88.5 and 147.4 per 10000 in general population, males and females respectively. The rate of suicide in 20-24 age groups was 285.8 per 10000. The highest rate of suicide was observed in spring. Thirty one percent of samples had high school education. 48 percent of suicide attempts were with drugs and opium. Considering the ethnicity, the rate of suicide was 177 among native Fars, 79.6 in Turkman and 270 in Sistani per 10000, respectively.Conclusion: This study has shown that the rate of suicide is higher in this province comparing to other studies in some parts of Iran and other countries