[Epidemiology of suicide in Austria 1980 to 1990]

This article investigates the suicide rates in Austria from 1980 to 1990 according to age groups and the methods used. In the years investigated the overall suicide rate increased until 1986, followed by a decline until 1990. The suicide rate in women shows a gradual linear increase with age, whilst in men there is a biphasic curve with a steep increase in teenagers and young men in their early twenties, followed by a plateau and a second steep increase as from 65 years of age, whereby the increase from "60-64 years" to the age group "over 85 years" is 134%. Regarding the age groups the decline over the past years in women is biggest in the groups "35-39 years" and "65-69 years", with men a decrease is present in the age groups from 20 to 50 years. Concerning the methods used, hanging is the most common mode of suicide in both women (36.4%) and men (48.8%). Suicide in the elderly--particularly in old men--which has increased internationally over the past few decades is targeted as the major area for vigorous preventive measures in Austria.