EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SUICIDES IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL.

The article profiles the issue of suicide in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Rio Grande do Sul evidenced the highest rates for suicide in Brazil during the period under study. The standardized coefficients went from levels around 9/100000 in the 1980s to 11/100000 in 1999. The study points to suicide as a collective health problem in Rio Grande do Sul and reveals characteristics that could contribute to preventative action. The monitoring of violent events in the community is one of the strategies in health promotion and allows the identification of potential factors for early intervention.