Attempted suicide also constitutes a major public-health problem both in Sweden and in the rest of Europe. The purpose of the study was to analyse suicide trends in Sweden, the relationship between suicide and attempted suicide, suicide-attempt repetition patterns, recommendations for care in some European centres after attempted suicide, and the quality of care in Sweden for young people who subsequently committed suicide. Regression analysis of suicides, broken down by gender and five-year age group, shows no decrease in juvenile suicide rates in Sweden during the period. For the females' part, the prevalent suicide method changed from drug intoxication during the 1970s to violent methods in the '80s and '90s.
Males consistently use more violent suicide methods.
Stepwise Cox regression analysis showed that the most significant predictor of repetition was a history of attempted suicide. Analysis of individual centres showed large disparities in care recommendations, indicating that no uniform criteria for recommending care for young suicide attempters were in use. This discontinuity may have contributed to the fatal outcome. In most European countries, expert follow-up and care of juvenile suicide attempters, and also scientifically based clinical guidelines for diagnostics and treatment, are therefore urgently needed.