Trends of juvenile and adolescent suicides in North Tunisia: a 12-year study

Objectives: The aim of our study was to analyze the epidemiological characteristics for suicide methods and factors over a 12-year period among child suicides in Northern Tunisia and to compare juvenile and adolescent suicides.

Study design: This is a cross-sectional study.

Methods: We included all child and adolescent suicide cases that took place in the North of Tunisia over a 12 year period (2005-2016). Data were collected from medical records and judicial inquiries and were classified into three sections: sociodemographic data, the circumstances of suicide, and the autopsy findings. Data were then compared between the 'juvenile suicide group' and 'the adolescent suicide group', according to the WHO definition.

Results: Casualties were equally males and females, mostly adolescents (74.5%), aged 15 years old on average. Hanging was the most frequent suicidal method. A peak of frequency was observed in 2014.

Conclusion: Our results suggested to focus, among other preventive measures, on the role of media coverage of child suicides.