Suicide Mortality in South Africa: a City-Level Comparison Across Socio-Demographic Groups

This study assessed whether gender- & ethnic-specific suicide rates differed across 6 of South Africa’s major cities. Data on 4946 suicides occurring between 2001-2003 were collected. The overall age-standardised rate for the 6 cities was 25.3 per 100,000 for men & 5.6 per 100,000 for women. Suicide rates are most often highest among whites & men, but both the magnitude & distribution of suicide vary considerably for different groups within & across cities. There was a strong association between the method of suicide used & the city. The need for locally based research investigating possible reasons for these differences is highlighted. (42 refs.) JA