Suicide mortality in Colombia and México: Trends and impact between 2000 and 2013

Introduction: Suicides are one of the main public health issues globally.  Objective: To analyze the trends and impact of suicide mortality in Colombia and Mexico between 2000 and 2013, nationally, by sex and age groups.  Materials and methods: Mortality vital statistics from the Colombian Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica and the Mexican Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia were used. We conducted a descriptive and cross sectional study for which we calculated standardized mortality rates and years of life lost in people between 0 and 100 years of age.  Results: In Colombia, the suicide mortality rate decreased between 2000 and 2013 for both sexes (28% for men and 38% for women); an opposite trend was observed in Mexico (with an increase of 34% for males and 67% for females). In 2013, the years of life lost in Colombia were 0,32 among men and 0,15 among women, with a decreasing trend since 2000, whereas in Mexico a level of 0,42 was observed in men and 0,2 in women, with an increasing trend since 2000. The age groups where suicides had a bigger impact were those of men 15 to 49 years of age in both countries, while suicides were more uniformly distributed among women between 15 and 84 years of age. Conclusion:  Suicide mortality increased gradually in Mexico, whereas in Colombia an opposite trend was observed. Suicides can be prevented, so it is fundamental to implement public health policies focused on timely identification, comprehensive prevention strategies and the study of associated risk factors.