Resumen

CASTRO TREJOS, Jerry Gerardo. Medical legal aspects of suicide in Costa Rica: Epidemiology of suicide in Costa Rica. Epidemiology of suicide in Costa Rica, from 2000-2004. Med. leg. Costa Rica [online]. 2007, vol.24, n.2, pp.67-80. ISSN 2215-5287.

It is about a statistical analysis from the Policial Yearbook 2004, (Planification Department, statistics section), about the suicide cases that happened in Costa Rica during the years 2000 to 2004. The prevalence of cases shows an average of 251,8 cases per year.  The highest percentage of cases that happened in the population was committed by Costa Rican, with an 88% of the total. Men had a higher prevalence, with 1.242 cases (86.9%), than women, with 186 cases (13%). The age with the highest percentage was between 20 and 24 years of age, with 208 cases (14,5%). The highest incidence was in 2003 with 329 cases (23%). The most frequent  modality of death was hanging with 516 cases (36,1%), followed by poisoning with 483 cases (33,8%), the third in importance was death by firearm projectile with 321 cases 22,4%.

Palabras clave : Suicide; age; sex; type; motive.

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