Sociodemographic Inequalities in Suicide in Colombia: an ecological study, 1990-2019

The aim is to quantitatively describe sociodemographic trends in suicide mortality in an upper-middle-income country. A total of 23.895 suicide deaths recorded between 1990 and 2019 were included, classified according to the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Frequencies were calculated by sex, age group, area of residence, and geographic region. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and rate ratios (RR) by sex and area of residence were analyzed. Spatial georeferencing was performed by department, sex, and area of residence. In Colombia, suicide mortality among men showed statistically significant differences in age-standardized mortality rates (per 100.000 inhabitants) between rural areas and urban areas. Among women, suicide mortality exhibited notable differences across age groups, with adolescents presenting the highest rates, a pattern consistently observed across all departments. In contrast, mortality rates among men varied considerably by department. Although suicide was not among the ten leading causes of death in this population, it exhibited notable concentrations of higher mortality rates across most departments.