Epidemic of Suicide by Hanging in Lithuania: Does Socio-Demographic Status Matter?

Suicide by hanging, compared with other methods, was analysed by demographic & selected social factors in Lithuania. Changes during 1993-1997 & 1998-2002 were evaluated. Over the study period, hanging, in proportion to all other methods, increased statistically significantly among men & women. The most noticeable increase was among females, age 10-19 years. Hanging predominated in men, older people, rural residents, & people with low levels of education. A logistic regression analysis showed that gender, place of residence, & education, independently of other factors, had the strongest influence on the choice of hanging as the method of suicide between 1993-2002. (21 refs.)