Suicide among Russians in Estonia: database study before and after independence.

The number of suicides increased for young adults in a 20 year period when the number among older adults declined. The rise in standardised mortality ratios was larger for young men (72.43%) than young women (19.04%). The suicide gap between the most and least deprived areas widened more for young women; there were over six times as many deaths in the most compared with the least deprived fifth in 1999-2001 (152 v 24). For young men the rates rose in every fifth, with a particularly large and significant rise in the most deprived fifth. Recent media and political attention has focused on rising suicide rates among young men. The relative rise in suicides among young people in poor areas in Scotland, however, has increased during the 1990s and warrants more attention. While suicide polarisation is greater for young women, partly because of declines in the numbers in less deprived areas, the suicide rate in the most deprived fifth is particularly high for young men. The Scottish Executive aims to reduce the number of suicides by 20% between 2003 and 2013. One “priority risk group” is defined geographically as “people in isolated or rural communities.” Those in the most deprived areas are not prioritised, although the executive acknowledges that efforts are needed to help vulnerable people in society and address inequalities. Various factors that influence suicide, such as drug misuse, divorce, and unemployment are more common in deprived areas. Our results suggest that these areas should be targeted among the “priority risk groups” in the future.