Suicide mortality in Slovenia: regional variation

Different medical, social, and environmental regional characteristics were investigated as possible predictors of suicide rates in 60 self-governing communes in Slovenia. The distribution pattern of regional suicide rates for Slovenia shows some similarity to that of the rest of Europe, especially in terms of the substantial variation of suicide density within the country. On the basis of the multivariate analysis, prevalence of alcohol psychosis, percentage of Catholics, and low duration of sunshine appeared to be the most important predictors of regional suicide rates in Slovenia. The rate of murders was proven to be a highly useful clue of suicide potential among younger groups, whereas income per capita of population was associated with suicide risk in old age. The principal component analysis provided three suicide risk patterns: a socio-economic risk pattern (Catholic religion in poor community), a behavioral one (antisocial features, including heavy drinking), and a depression-related risk pattern with a climatic component (lack of sunshine). Different approaches are necessary for the different risk patterns listed above. Psychiatry, especially clinical psychiatry, can only deal with components of two of the patterns, namely, depression and antisocial behavior.