Background Among the largest Italian Regions, Piedmont (Northern Italy) is the one with the highest rate of suicide. Aim of the study was to describe intentional self-harm related deaths in Piedmont analyzing trends by gender, age, area of residence, socio-economic level. Methods Observational mortality study of the resident population in Piedmont from 2003 to 2014. Age-standardized rates of suicide (ICD-10: X60-X84) were estimated, by gender, health district of residence, mountain/level ground, and educational level. Suicide methods and places of occurrence by gender and age were inquired. Results In a context of declining injury related mortality, especially for traffic accidents, the regional trend of suicides shows only a slight decrease, becoming the main cause of injury deaths since 2009, equal to 21% of all injury deaths in the studied period. There are no significant trend variations related to the period of economic crisis. The occurrence is higher among men in general and particularly in older people, persons with low educational level and those living in deprived areas. The main suicide method used by women is “jumping from a high place” (36.7%) while the main one for men is “hanging, strangulation and suffocation” (50%). This is globally the most frequent method for all ages. “Self-poisoning” gains importance between 30 and 49 years old. Suicides occur for over half of cases in home. Conclusions Suicides are a public health and social concern. Yet despite its extent, this problem is still not adequately considered in public health prevention programs. Social and geographical gradients highlitght the importance to improve mental health service provision in deprived areas and to enhance public social welfare measures. Further contributions to a deeper understanding of the determinants of self-harm behaviour and suicidal risk can be obtained from health information systems, in particular data from Emergency Departments and multiple causes of deaths records. Key messages In Italy, suicides are the main cause of injury deaths, without trend variations. Occurrence is higher among men, older people, persons with low educational level and those living in deprived areas.

No abstract

Abstract:The article investigates the issue of asbestos damages compensation in China. Today, China is a major player in the global market of asbestos production and consumption. Therefore, a large number of Chinese workers are employed in the asbestos industries and an even larger number of individuals are exposed to asbestos for non-occupational reasons. Although there is no official data on the numbers of asbestos-related diseases in China, it is estimated that a significant part of the population developed asbestos-related diseases and that there will be an augmentation of those diseases in the future. This article examines the Chinese legal provisions on the prevention, control, and compensation of asbestos related diseases; both in cases of environmental and occupational exposures, and analyzes if and when those provisions are applied. This research shows that although the laws and the regulations enacted by the Chinese government provide protection for those exposed to asbestos dust, and entitle them to some compensation or indemnity where those exposures caused damages, the implementation of those rules is actually very difficult, due to a variety of different reasons. Those reasons can vary from problems in the interpretation and implementation of the laws and regulations, to difficulties in the access to justice and in the adjudication by the courts, regarding occupational and environmental damages. In most of these cases, the consequences of these problems are a poor and inefficient protection of the victims of the asbestos exposures for the damages suffered.

famille: de l'indisponibilite ´a `l'autode ´termination? 419-432 MARY CATHERINE LUCEY EC Competition Policy: Emasculating the Common Law Doctrine of the Restraint of Trade? Case notes/Annotations/Entscheidungsanmerkungen 433-450 Informed Consent and the Requirement of Causation, Chester v. Afshar, 14, October, 2004 Note by ARNO AKKERMANS and MARIA PAZ GARCIA RUBIO 451-464 The Italian Ministry of Health Held Liable for the Damages Arising out of Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Note by NADIA COGGIOLA 465-474 Le droit belge en matie `re de re ´formation d'un jugement exe ´cute ´a `titre provisoire Note by BRUNO THOEN