ABSTRACT
Suicides and suicide attempts are very frequent incidents in the Western hemisphere. The frequency of suicide has increased among young people, whereas it has decreased among the elderly. An increased suicide rate has also occurred among young black men. Thus, the frequency of suicide is now similar in young black and young Caucasian men. The mortality due to suicide in men is higher than in women, with a ratio of 3:1 to 4:1. The frequency of suicide in Europe does not differ much from that of the United States. Based on the common European registration study, it also has been possible to estimate the frequency of suicide attempts in the involved areas. The number of suicide attempts is low in the Netherlands and Italy while Finland, England, and Denmark have suicide attempt rates of 200 to 300 per 100,000 per year.
