Suicide in China: The Trends and Differentials From 2002 to 2021

The objective of this study was to provide an updated analysis of suicide characteristics in China from 2002 to 2021, with the aim of informing the development of evidence-based suicide prevention strategies.

The Ministry of Health-Vital Registration System (MOH-VR) provided the data on suicide mortality, which enabled us to examine the average annual percentage change (AAPC) in suicide rates using a Poisson regression model.

Notably, there has been a significant decline in suicide rates observed in both urban and rural areas. In the early years of the study period, higher suicide rates were observed among females compared to males; however, a shift occurred after 2005, with male suicide rates surpassing those of females. Except for 2005, rural areas consistently exhibited higher suicide rates than urban areas. Furthermore, suicide rates exhibited an increasing trend with age, irrespective of gender or region.

These findings highlight a decreasing trend in suicide rates in China over the past two decades, although gender and regional disparities persist. Going forward, sustained efforts in suicide prevention, with a specific focus on mental health, are warranted.