Analysis of Risk Factors and Epidemiological Profile of Suicide Attempts in Brazil

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.15952325280514

• Palavras-chave: Suicide; Suicide attempts; Mental health; Risk factors; Epidemiology.

• Keywords: Suicide; Suicide attempts; Mental health; Risk factors; Epidemiology.

• Abstract:

  Suicide represents a serious global public health problem, with significant and devastating impacts on individuals, families and communities. In Brazil, there has been a significant increase in suicide attempts, especially among adolescents, young adults and women. Given this scenario, it is essential to identify the factors that contribute to this behavior and to understand the profile of the most vulnerable populations. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological profile of suicide attempts in Brazil and compare it with the profile of completed cases, in order to highlight the main associated risk factors. This is a descriptive epidemiological study based on secondary data obtained from official sources such as DATASUS and SINAN, as well as scientific articles selected from SciELO, PubMed and Google Scholar. Studies published in the last five years in Portuguese, English and Spanish were included. The data reveals two distinct profiles between suicide cases and attempts. Suicide attempts are more frequent among women, while consummated cases are mostly male, but in both cases there are individuals aged between 20 and 39. The majority of individuals declare themselves to be brown and around 45% of attempts are repeated. There is a strong association with mental disorders, especially bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The stigma attached to these conditions hinders both prevention and adequate treatment. These findings reinforce the need for integrated, multidisciplinary strategies to tackle the problem. The study highlights the urgent need to strengthen public policies aimed at suicide prevention, with an emphasis on promoting mental health, facilitating access to psychological and psychiatric support services and early identification of risk factors. Targeting vulnerable groups is key to reducing the number of attempts and avoiding fatal outcomes.