[The mortality trend in suicides in Andalucía from 1976 to 1995]

To describe trends in mortality from suicide among people older then 14 years of age in Andalucía, Spain, from 1976 to 1995, with reference to age, sex, marital status and method of suicide.

With deaths from suicide and the populations of Andalucía, the following indicators were computed: crude and age-adjusted rates by gender, year of death and marital status; age-adjusted rates of years of potential life lost by year of death and marital status. Poisson regression models were obtained to analyze time trends.

Mortality from suicide has experienced an important increase, mainly in men, changing from rates of 13,66 to 18,19 deaths per 100,000 person-years. In women, the increase has been much slighter, from 3,81 to 4,36 deaths per 100,000 person-years. The largest increase has occurred among young males and, to a lesser extent, in the oldest groups, both in males and females, although the rates increase with age. The two main methods of suicide, both in males and females, were hanging and jumping, with the highest frequency occurring among widowers, followed by single and divorced persons, while married people were in the last position.

In a situation of generalized increase in mortality from suicide in Andalucía in the study period, important differences were found by sex, age and marital status.