Spatial temporal analysis of mortality by suicide among the elderly in Brazil

Abstract

Objective:

to perform spatiotemporal analysis of suicide mortality in the elderly in Brazil.

Methods:

a mixed ecological study was carried out in which deaths from suicide among the elderly were analyzed using data from the Mortality Information System (MIS) and socio-demographic variables, from 2000 to 2014, with a trend analysis of this period. Univariate and bivariate spatial analysis was performed using the Moran Global and Moran Map index to evaluate the intensity and significance of spatial clusters.

Results:

there were 19,806 deaths due to suicide among the elderly in Brazil between 2000 and 2014. The ratio of male and female mortality rates was 4:1, with increasing trends for both genders (R²>0.8), but with greater intensity among men (p=0.0293). There was a moderate autocorrelation for men (I>0.40), with clusters forming for both genders in the south of Brazil. Bivariate analysis showed the formation of clusters in the southern region with the Human Development Index and aging variables and in the north and northeast regions based on dependence and illiteracy ratio.

Conclusions:

mortality due to suicide among the elderly has a tendency to increase and is unequally distributed in Brazil.

Keywords:
Suicide; Elderly; Mortality; Social Determinants of Health; Spatial Analysis