[Choice of method in relation to the initiating motive in suicide: a population based study]

The choice of the suicide method is influenced by the individual's sex, age, cultural value system and the method's availability. Therefore, we studied the chosen method in relation to the investigated motive, age and sex.

The study included all residents of Middle Franconia, dying from suicide due to death certificate and police investigations. 2062 suicides were included. Data was categorized by method and underlying reason.

Women preferred self-poisoning and men predominantly chose hanging with the distribution changing with regard to the underlying motive, especially in suicide due to family distress and lovesickness. The association between method and underlying reason of suicide was highly significant (chi (2)-test, chi (2) = 268.5, p < 0.0001), in male (chi (2) = 166.7, p < 0.0001) and in female subjects (chi (2) = 132.7, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, there were differences regarding the suicide method concerning the age.

Certain motives tended to be associated with some suicide methods, so that the means to commit suicide should be further taken into account in preventive as well as in therapeutic measures.