An Examination of Suicide Rates in Jamaica, 2000-to-2019: Time-series Analyses

Authors

  • Paul Andrew Bourne Department of Institutional Research, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Tanesha Alveranga Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Shanade Grindley Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Terecia Harrison Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Deandra Howard Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Bianca Thompson Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • James Fallah Department of Dental Hygiene, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Calvin Campbell Department of Mathematics and Engineering, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Clifton Foster Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Caroline McLean Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Tabitha Muchee Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Barbara Biira Department of Psychology, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.

Abstract

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, there are 700 000 deaths from suicide each year. For every suicide, there are 20 unsuccessful attempts, meaning more people attempt suicide than those who die. The number one risk for suicide is prior attempts. Globally, suicide is the number one cause of death among 15 to 19-year-olds. Approximately 77% of global suicides occur in low to middle-income countries.

Objective: This study examined the trends of suicide rates in Jamaica from 2000-2019.

Materials and methods: Time series data were used to provide the analyses for this study. Twenty years of data were collected from the World Bank Data Portal, showing the total sum of suicides during the two decades (2000-2019), and the suicide rates among males and females. Excel served as the tool for the data collection, followed by data into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0 for further analysis.

Findings: There is a positive association between male and female rates of suicide. As the rate among males increased, so did the rate for females. However, the incidence for males increased at a higher rate than for females during the 20 years.

Discussion: It is essential to continue to explore the comprehensive data to understand the impact of suicide among the Jamaican population over time. In this current study, the results confirm that in our convenience sample, males had a higher rate of suicide compared to females, with females increasing at a slower rate during the 20 years.

Conclusion: Males continue to be impacted at a higher rate than females and double the rate during some years for suicide. It will be necessary for Jamaican leaders to consider the most recent recommendations from WHO with structured monitoring to examine whether or not the interventions positively influence the current suicide trends among the Jamaican population over time.

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Published

2022-07-20

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2022): International Journal of Recent Advances in Psychology & Psychotherapy [ISSN: 2581-4052]

Section

Articles