Research about suicide in Mexico (1980-2014): analysis and perspectives

Abstract

From an epidemiological perspective, suicidal behavior and suicide constitute a growing public health problem because of its impact on morbidity and mortality of young and economically active population, both worldwide and in Mexico. Therefore, since the decade of 1970 the identification of risk factors and the most vulnerable groups became essential to help in preventing suicide. This paper analyzes conventional and gray literature generated since 1980 to 2014 about suicidal behavior in Mexican population between 15 and 29 years old. It was found that most papers showed risk factors and only in a small percentage (9.37%) analyzed protective factors. This article aims to point out the trend in suicide research in Mexico and the importance of including a health approach for studying this phenomenon.