A study shows the temporal and spatial trajectories of 112 emergency calls for suicide in the city of Valencia

By Miriam Marco

A research conducted by a team from the University of Valencia, funded by the La Caixa Social Observatory, examined the spatiotemporal distribution of emergency calls to 112 related to suicide in the city of Valencia between 2017 and 2022. During this six-year period, 10,030 calls related to suicide were recorded, with 40.1% corresponding to men and 59.9% to women.

The results reveal a clear upward trend in the volume of calls, increasing from a monthly average of 350 in 2017 to more than 600 in the second quarter of 2022, the quarter in which it peaked. A significant change in the pattern was noted in 2021, where the increase became more pronounced for both men and women. Regarding seasonality, an increase in calls from men was observed during the second quarter (April to June), while for women this increase was recorded in the third quarter (July to September).

The analysis by age groups indicates a significant increase in suicide-related calls among young adults aged 18 to 23. However, when examining by gender, a substantial difference is evident: it is women who experience the greatest increase in calls during these early stages of adulthood. In contrast, although an increase is also observed among men in this age range, the median age still shows a higher incidence of calls at the end of 2022.

Additionally, the research examines neighborhood variables related to a higher incidence of emergency calls for suicide. The results indicate that, in general, more calls occur in areas with low educational levels, high residential mobility, low population density, greater population aging, and a high percentage of immigrant population. However, when considering gender, the results vary: for men, the proportion of people living alone emerges as a relevant factor, while the percentage of immigrant population is not. Conversely, in calls related to women, the level of education and the percentage of people living alone are not relevant, while the percentage of immigrant population is. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating the gender variable when investigating contextual factors associated with suicide.

The study also shows the spatial distribution across the different quarters analyzed using risk maps of the city of Valencia. Spatial patterns changed considerably over the examined time periods, with a general increase in risk. However, when considering the gender of the individuals in crisis, the maps show distinct patterns. The methodology employed in this study allows for the identification of areas with a persistently high incidence of calls over time, as well as those that have increased or decreased the volume of calls, and explores the community factors involved in these variations. These results can be highly useful as a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of local suicide prevention strategies, facilitate a more effective distribution of emergency resources aimed at prevention, and monitor the evolution of calls in the long term to adjust preventive measures in a timely and effective manner.

Reference to original paper: Marco, M., López-Quílez, A., Sánchez-Sáez, F., Escobar-Hernández, P., Montagud-Andrés, M., Lila, M. & Gracia, E. (2024). The spatio-temporal distribution of suicide-related emergency calls in a European city: Age and gender patterns, and neighborhood influences. Psychosocial Intervention, 33(2), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.5093/pi2024a8