The Epidemiology of Suicide Attempts, 1960 to 1971

Although the suicide rate has been relatively stable in the United States and other countries over the last decade, there has been a marked increase in suicide attempts. A review of English language studies between 1960 and 1971 documents the increases, their magnitude and characteristics. The striking international consistencies in the age, sex, personality of the attempters, as well as the social context and method of attempts, indicates that self-destruction in the young is a major public health problem for the 70s requiring new approaches at the level of primary prevention.