Nationally representative data from the Mexican National Comorbidity Survey are presented on the lifetime prevalence & age-of-onset distributions of suicide ideation, plan, & attempt & on temporally prior demographic & DSM-IV psychiatric risk factors. Lifetime ideation was reported by 8.1% of respondents, while 3.2% reported a lifetime plan, & 2.7% a lifetime suicide attempt. Onset of all outcomes was highest in adolescence & early adulthood. The risk of transition from ideation to plan & attempt was highest within the first year of onset of ideation. (34 refs.)