Correlates of completed suicide in China were reexamined to identify those especially relevant to low-planned & high-planned suicidal behaviour. A psychological autopsy study of 505 suicide victims, aged 18+ years, was conducted. Multinomial regression analyses compared 3 levels of suicide planning. Women & younger individuals were more likely to carry out low- & intermediate-planned suicides. Greater acute stress distinguished low-planned from high-planned suicides. Ingestion of pesticides stored in the home was a more common method in low-planned suicides. Prevention strategies restricting access to pesticides may preferentially lower the rate of these suicides. (39 refs.)