Suicidal behaviour in Singapore for the year 1980

Abstract

A survey in Singapore for the year 1980 showed a total of 1,698 attempted suicides and 230 suicides giving a rate of 70 per 100,000 and 9.5 per 100,000 respectively. For the attempted suicides, there was 1 male to 2.2 females. The most common age group was 20-29 years (50%). Chinese accounted for 73% and Indians 17%, but the latter had the highest rate of 217. Self poisoning accounted for 95%. Compared with 1971 survey, the pattern was similar, but the rate had gone up by 30% and there was a higher percentage of tablet ingestions. For the suicides, the sex ratio was 1 male to 0.8 female and the age group 70-89, had the highest rate (54%). Most of the cases were Chinese (90%). The trend was similar to the 1969-71 study except that there was an increase in jumping (from 44 to 60%) and in mental illness (from 16 to 21%). Jumping appeared to be related to the rising number of high rise buildings.