Suicide pattern in Kermanshah Province, West of Iran: March 2012- March 2013.

Background: Kermanshah province (the most populated province in the west of Iran) has one of the highest suicide rates among Iran's provinces. This study aims to update the existing knowledge of suicide situations in the province in order to take the first step towards designing preventive interventions. Methods: Data were extracted from the electronic files of the Forensic Medicine Organization (FMO) of Kermanshah province during the course of oneyear. The chi-squared test and Cramer's V statistic were used to assess the associations between the demographic variables. Results: 265 confirmed cases (65.7% males and 34.3% females) of suicide were registered during the study period. The overall annual rate of suicide in Kermanshah province was 13.6 persons per 100,000 residents. Approximately, 45% of the cases were between 20 and 29 years old. Hanging in males (50%) and self-immolation in females (43%) were the dominant suicide methods. Conclusion: Compared to the average suicide rate in Iran, Kermanshah province has a noticeably higher rate. Focusing on social determinants of health in the population should be seriously considered by the health system's policy-makers regarding practical approaches to be used for the purposes of reducing suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]