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Monitoring Suicide Mortality: A Bayesian Approach

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Abstract

A significant fall in suicide mortality relative to England and Wales levels has occurred in London though with wide variation between its 33 constituent boroughs in the extent of mortality reduction. A Bayesian random effects approach is used is to model differential changes in suicide by borough and time over a 16 year period, 1979–94. Of particular concern in such modelling are persistent differences between boroughs in suicide risk (temporal correlation) and spatial clustering in relative risk. It is also important to represent the changing impact on suicide of socio-economic factors such as social deprivation. The data used are defined by deaths through de-jure suicide (ICD9 categories E950-E959) and those through undetermined injury, whether accidental or purposely inflicted (ICD E980-E989).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Queen Mary and Westfield College, Mile End Rd, London, E1 4NS

    Peter Congdon

  2. Department of Public Health, Barking and Havering Health Authority, East St, Barking, IG11 8EY

    Peter Congdon

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  1. Peter Congdon
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Congdon, P. Monitoring Suicide Mortality: A Bayesian Approach. European Journal of Population 16, 251–284 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026587810551

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