Background. Social causes and geographic patterning of suicide have been a subject of classical study from sociology and demography. Literature points mainly to the importance of the role of imitation, with strong geographic patterns over time, and the theory of social integration and social inequalities. According to previous researches, for Andalusia case, suicide has increased in the last decades especially among young people, there is a geographical pattern according to which there is greater suicide in the central zone and higher altitude above sea level, and the impact of the economic crisis increasing mortality by suicide.

Objective. Andalusia region has suicide mortality rates higher than the Spanish average (for example in 2014 9.32 suicide deaths per 100,000 people in Andalusia compared to 8.42 on average in Spain, according to IECA data). In addition, Andalusia, compared to Spain, has lower levels of development, a large rural population and more aggravated consequences of the economic crisis. The objective of this paper is to analyze changes in suicide mortality and the changes the sociodemographic and geographic determinants of suicide affect different periods.

Data and Methods. We use the data on causes of death in Spain at provincial and municipal level, from Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) and Institute of Statistics and Cartography of Andalusia (IECA). First, to calculate suicide mortality rates and techniques of spatial analysis. Second, to elaborate different models Poisson regression and joinpoint regression to analyze the determinants of suicide and temporal trends.

Expected results. Suicide mortality increased intensely in the two periods of economic crisis in Spain: 1980-1987 and 2011-2014. Women have a greater increase in mortality from this cause during periods of crisis and more decline in periods of economic growth. Social and geographical determinants could explain the gap between Spain and Andalusia.