Suicide attempts revealed: methods and emerging hotspots from police data

Background

Suicide constitutes a major public health problem, responsible for over 700,000 deaths annually worldwide, according to WHO estimates; it ranks as the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds and has profound impacts on families, communities, and healthcare systems. Far from being isolated incidents, suicides reflect deeper systemic failures in addressing mental health disparities, underscoring the urgent need for public health surveillance and response.

Methods

A descriptive analysis of suicide attempt reports submitted by the Public Security Police to public health authorities of Funchal, Madeira, from 2013–2025 was conducted. Each report corresponds to a single episode; therefore, individuals may be represented more than once in the dataset. For each episode, data were collected on sex, age, method of attempt, location (for precipitation), and outcome (fatal or non-fatal). Hotspots of the precipitation were mapping.

Results

A total of 246 episodes (E) were analyzed. Median age was 40 years (P25–P75: 30–51.5; range 15–86), with 65.6% male. The most frequent methods were intentional medication ingestion (82E) and precipitation (80E), followed by self-harm (40E), poisoning (20E), and hanging (11E). Less frequent were drowning (6 E) and pedestrian collision attempts (5 E). Among precipitation cases, 17 occurred at home, 16 at hotspot A, 11 at hotspot B, and 8 at hotspot C. Most episodes were not completed, as individuals were prevented, and none of these cases resulted in death. Overall, 94.7% were transported to the Emergency Department and 13.8% were hospitalized. Two deaths occurred (hanging; poisoning with drowning).

Conclusions

The predominance of male episodes, the concentration of cases in middle age, and the frequent use of medication ingestion and precipitation identify priority areas for prevention. The recurrence of precipitation in specific hotspots suggests the need for targeted environmental and community-based interventions.

Key messages

• Intentional medication ingestion and precipitation are the most frequent suicide attempt methods in Funchal, Madeira.

• Hotspot-related precipitation highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies.