An approach to suicide among adolescents and youth in Brazil

Abstract This essay article examines suicide among young people in Brazil on the basis of Durkheim’s classical approaches as revisited in current discussions of social integration networks. It presents arguments regarding the behaviour of suicide mortality rates in the light of classical public health assumptions as to social causality in processes of health and illness. The mortality rates, updated in line with international statistics, review of data in Brazilian studies and recent series for Brazil, reveal suicide “aptitudes” by age, sex and social group. The linear and non-linear nature of the trends are treated in the context of pathways in complex social systems. Current data were prospected in the Ministry of Health’sNational Mortality Information System and World Health Organisation databases. In this policy analysis study, a conceptual outline was built up from classical theory updated to the present-day context, analysis of data relevant to the study object and observation of target groups for comprehensive, inclusive policies. The results of this analysis reveal that adolescents and young people are highly liable to growing, sustained, high-impact vulnerability to suicide.