Impact of Taiwan's Suicide Prevention Act.

Background

Taiwan is among the few jurisdictions adopting a legislative approach to suicide prevention; a Suicide Prevention Act was implemented in June 2019. Aim: This study evaluates overall, age-, sex-, and method-specific suicide rates before and after the implementation of the Act.

Methods

Monthly suicide mortality data from 2015 to 2023 were analyzed using interrupted time-series analysis using segmented regression with a quasi-Poisson distribution. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.

Results

An immediate 10.1% reduction in overall suicide rates was observed after the enactment of the Suicide Prevention Act (IRR = 0.899, 95% CI = 0.837-0.966), although long-term trends remained unchanged. Hanging suicides declined steadily (IRR = 0.996, 95% CI = 0.993-0.999), while jumping suicides rose. Youth suicides (15-24 years) stabilized postintervention, and the 45-64-year age group experienced a significant decline (IRR = 0.849, 95% CI = 0.764, 0.942). In contrast, suicide rates among older adults (≥65 years) increased. Limitations: Unmeasured factors may have affected the results. Some components of the plan began before the Act, limiting attribution of effects solely to the law.

Conclusion

Taiwan's legislative approach may have helped stabilize suicide rates, especially among youth and middle-aged adults. Ongoing efforts should focus on older adults and shifts in suicide methods.