Statistics can be misleading

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-02/b-nos020419.php

Public Release: 6-Feb-2019
Number of suicide deaths have risen globally to over 800,000 in 2016
BMJ

The total number of deaths from suicide increased by 6.7% globally between 1990 and 2016 to 817,000 deaths in 2016, finds a study published by The BMJ today. However, when adjusted for age, the global mortality rate from suicide decreased by almost a third (33%) worldwide over the same period.

In general, the findings show that men had higher mortality rates from suicide than women, and that higher rates tended to be linked to higher levels of social and economic deprivation.

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This is an observational study and the researchers point to some limitations, such as under-reporting or misclassification of cause of death, especially in countries with religious and cultural sanctions against suicide. As such, they say these results might be an underestimate of the true burden.

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