目標：自殺是全球所共同關心的重要議題，亦是台灣地區的十大死因之一，因此，本研究擬以死因登記檔，探討台灣地區自殺身亡率及其相關因素。方法：本研究利用衛生署「死因登記檔」，選取1997年至2003年死亡原因為國際疾病分類第九版臨床修正版(ICD-9-CM)代碼E950至E959者(自殺身亡)，計18,130人為個案組，其次，隨機選取非自殺身亡者(排除死亡原因為精神疾患者) 72,209人為對照組，故本研究之研究對象為90,339人。結果：在自殺身亡率概況方面，台灣地區1997年至2003年每十萬人口自殺身亡人數及自殺身亡率有隨年代增加而增加的線性趨勢。在與自殺身亡相關因素方面，於控制其他變項後，發現年齡、性別、婚姻狀況別、季節、假日別、地區別、都市化層級別與研究對象是否自殺身亡有統計上的顯著相關。結論：台灣地區自殺身亡率有隨年代增加而增加的線性趨勢，自殺防治工作不容延怠。

Objectives: Suicide is one of the world’s most important concerns and one of the ten leading causes of death in Taiwan. This study investigated the suicide mortality rate and related factors in Taiwan through the datasets of the death registration. Methods: In this study, the datasets of the
death registration of the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan) were utilized. First, codes E-950-E959 (death from suicide) of the International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9CM) from 1997 to 2003, identified a total of 18,130
people. Then, 72,520 people who died from other causes were randomly selected as the control group. After eliminating 311 people from the control group whose cause of death was listed as mental illnesses (290-319) but may have been suicides, the study subjects totaled 90,339. Results:With regard to the profile of suicide mortality, the suicide deaths per hundred thousand people and the suicide mortality rates showed a positive linear trend over the 30-year study period. Among the related factors, age, gender, marital status, season, holidays, region, and level of urbanization were significantly correlated with deaths by suicide. Conclusions: In Taiwan, the suicide mortality rates have shown an upward linear trend and work in suicide prevention has become a critical need.