Suicide in Denmark: a statistical review for the past 150 years

This paper presents a survey of suicide in Denmark from the time when statistics were first kept 100 years ago, up to the present. The remarkable high suicide rate at the start is discussed. The belief that suicide rate is influenced by several factors outside the individual, factors which to some extent can be influenced, is supported by the great variability of the suicide index during the last 100-150 years, being 29.9 in 1861, 12.8 in 1918 and 26 in 1976. The distribution according to sex and age today compared have helped many elements of the population, especially the youngest and the eldest, and especially the men. However, among women 35 to 70 years old and especially those between 45 and 55 the suicide rate has increased. One possible explanation is today's greater number of divorces with all the troubles that follow. Finally, the changing of suicide methods is discussed.