Epidemiology of suicide in a Swedish county (Västerbotten) 1961-1980.

As the initial part of the development of a suicide prevention program in a county in northern Sweden, an epidemiologic study on all suicides in the Västerbotten county 1961-1980 was performed. The study confirms other studies which differentiate between an urban-alienated pattern and a rural-traditional. There is a considerable increase in the suicide rate during the 1970's in the county alongside the development of a marked difference between different socio-economic regions. The highest suicide rates are now found in the most sparsely populated mountainous areas in the western part and in the most rapidly expanding urban area.