Characteristics of suicide mortality among indigenous and non-indigenous people in Roraima, Brazil, 2009-2013.

OBJECTIVE

to describe suicide characteristics and mortality rates among indigenous and non-indigenous people in Roraima, Brazil.

METHODS

descriptive study using data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) about the suicides in individuals over 10 years old, recorded in the period from 2009 to 2013; suicide mortality rates were adjusted by sex and age.

RESULTS

170 suicide cases were reported, being 17.1% among indigenous people; median ages were 24 years among indigenous and 29 among non-indigenous people; four municipalities concentrated 25/29 of the suicides among indigenous people; the 141 suicides among non-indigenous people were distributed in 13/15 municipalities in the state; suicide mortality rates were 15.0/100,000 among indigenous people and 8.6/100,000 among non-indigenous people.

CONCLUSION

ethnic-racial peculiarities stood out in suicide mortality; among the indigenous people, rates were higher, younger ages prevailed and deaths were concentrated in a smaller number of municipalities, when compared to non-indigenous people.