目的：自殺對社會衝擊的大小可藉由潛在生命損失年數指標予以呈現。臺灣過去曾有自殺潛在生命損失的研究，但並沒有探討比較自殺潛在生命損失在臺灣不同行政區域的不同。本研究遂利用「潛在生命損失累積率」指標，研究自殺在不同行政區域對社會之衝擊。 方法：本研究所需之年齡別人口數及自殺死亡數係得自1982-1991臺灣地區生命統計資料，並求出臺灣不同行政區域之潛在生命損失累積率。 結果：結果發現行政位階愈低，自殺問題造成的衝擊愈大。其中，山地鄉居民受到自殺的衝擊最大，其男性若不死於其他死因，平均一生中因自殺死亡而損失的天數有321.9天，女性則有213.2天（反之，行政位階最高之院轄市其男性為39.9天，女性為28.7天）。 結論：經由潛在生命損失累積率指標的採用，使得在臺灣進行評估及比較自殺在不同行政區域對社會之衝擊成為可能。本研究這種量性的比較實為進行衛生決策時重要的第一步。

　　　　　Objectives: Important information about the societal impact of suicide death can be obtained using an index of years of potential life lost (YPLL). Although previous studies have reported the YPLL of suicide in Taiwan, there has been no report regarding the differences of suicidal impacts in different administrative areas in Taiwan. The present study used the "cumulative rate of potential life lost" (CRPLL) to examine the social impacts of suicide in different administrative areas in Taiwan. Methods: The age-specific population numbers and suicide death numbers were abstracted from vital statistics in Taiwan, 1982-1991. The CRPLLs of suicide in different administrative areas in Taiwan were calculated. Results: Our results show that low level of administrative area was associated with the impact of suicide. Aboriginal townships suffered the greatest impact from suicide, with an average male losing an estimated 321.9 days due to suicide during his lifetime and an average female losing 213.2 days, if he or she doesn't succumb to other diseases. In contrast, the male residents of the metropolitan cities lost an estimated 39.9 days, and females, 28.7 days. Conclusions: With the use of the CRPLL index, it is possible to gauge and compare the suicidal impacts between different administrative areas in Taiwan. Such quantatative comparison as done in this paper constitutes an important first step for health policy making.