Male suicide mortality in eastern Finland - urban-rural changes during a 10-year period between 1988 and 1997

Aims: To investigate urban-rural differences in male suicide mortality betw een 1988 and 1997 in the province of Kuopio in eastern Finland. Methods: Ma le suicide mortality between 1988 and 1997 was studied in eastern Finland. The data were collected from official autopsy reports. Age, marital status. household type, place of death, method Of Suicide and the region within th e county were analysed. Results: The age-adjusted male suicide mortality re mained quite constant at 67 and 65/100,000 (> 15 years of age) in 1988 and 1997, respectively. In urban areas, a decline in suicide rates was noted in all age groups of men, whereas in rural areas. after an initial decline, a marked increase took place during the last years of the study period., esp ecially among middle-aged and elderly men. This coincided with the time of recovery from an economic recession in Finland that particularly affected r ural areas. Conclusion: Male suicide mortality may be regionally diverging in Finland.