Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends

This paper analyzes recent suicide trends in Greece. It relies on two separate databases, vital statistics and police records, the latter never having been explored before. Those datasets present a different picture about the suicide rates and trends, confirming the crucial importance of data reliab...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexandra Tragaki, Konstantinos Lenos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Population Research Institute of Väestöliitto 2017-04-01
Series:Finnish Yearbook of Population Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.fi/fypr/article/view/58961
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author Alexandra Tragaki
Konstantinos Lenos
author_facet Alexandra Tragaki
Konstantinos Lenos
author_sort Alexandra Tragaki
collection DOAJ
description This paper analyzes recent suicide trends in Greece. It relies on two separate databases, vital statistics and police records, the latter never having been explored before. Those datasets present a different picture about the suicide rates and trends, confirming the crucial importance of data reliability and consistency in time trend analysis. Frequencies and ratios were calculated and compared using paired sample t-tests. Overtime trend changes were detected applying segment regression analysis on both data collections. Our findings suggest that there are important differences between vital and police statistics on suicides. At national level, over the period 1990–2013, vital statistics reported an average of 7 percent more suicides, annually. Differences were more pronounced among women and younger ages. Both datasets confirm a change in total suicide trends during recent recession, but police data analysis supports that increases are less impressive than vital statistics claim.
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spelling doaj.art-42cb282ad1b84f22a731417d4fc19bd92022-12-22T00:24:53ZengPopulation Research Institute of VäestöliittoFinnish Yearbook of Population Research1796-61831796-61912017-04-015110.23979/fypr.58961Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent TrendsAlexandra TragakiKonstantinos Lenos0Harokopion University of Athens, GreeceThis paper analyzes recent suicide trends in Greece. It relies on two separate databases, vital statistics and police records, the latter never having been explored before. Those datasets present a different picture about the suicide rates and trends, confirming the crucial importance of data reliability and consistency in time trend analysis. Frequencies and ratios were calculated and compared using paired sample t-tests. Overtime trend changes were detected applying segment regression analysis on both data collections. Our findings suggest that there are important differences between vital and police statistics on suicides. At national level, over the period 1990–2013, vital statistics reported an average of 7 percent more suicides, annually. Differences were more pronounced among women and younger ages. Both datasets confirm a change in total suicide trends during recent recession, but police data analysis supports that increases are less impressive than vital statistics claim.https://journal.fi/fypr/article/view/58961suicidepolice statisticsdata sources comparisonrecessionGreece
spellingShingle Alexandra Tragaki
Konstantinos Lenos
Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends
Finnish Yearbook of Population Research
suicide
police statistics
data sources comparison
recession
Greece
title Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends
title_full Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends
title_fullStr Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends
title_full_unstemmed Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends
title_short Suicide Rates in Greece: Comparing Mortality Data with Police Reporting Statistics and Investigating Recent Trends
title_sort suicide rates in greece comparing mortality data with police reporting statistics and investigating recent trends
topic suicide
police statistics
data sources comparison
recession
Greece
url https://journal.fi/fypr/article/view/58961
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandratragaki suicideratesingreececomparingmortalitydatawithpolicereportingstatisticsandinvestigatingrecenttrends
AT konstantinoslenos suicideratesingreececomparingmortalitydatawithpolicereportingstatisticsandinvestigatingrecenttrends