Archives of Suicide Research

Henrik Mäkinen, Ilkka; Wasserman, Danuta

doi: 10.1080/13811110301574pmid: N/A

Having investigated suicide mortality among the 250,000 immigrant Finns in Sweden ("Finnish Swedes") 1982-1992, we have found it to be very high for both sexes. The mean overall rate was 48.2/100,000 a year--2.0 times the Swedish rate and 1.6 times the Finnish. Suicide mortality has, moreover, increased among women. A comparison of naturalized Finns (those who have become Swedish citizens) with those who have remained Finnish citizens does not demonstrate any conclusive relationship between naturalization and suicide for the group as a whole. In most male groups, those who had taken Swedish citizenship had clearly lower rates than those who had not. For most female groups, however, there was a reverse tendency. Further monitoring of the development of suicide mortality in the group is needed.

Hovey, Joseph D.; Magaña, Cristina G.

doi: 10.1080/13811110301579pmid: N/A

No previous studies have assessed suicide risk among migrant farmworkers in the United States. The purposes of the present study were threefold: (1) to assess the prevalence levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in a sample of first-generation Mexican migrant farmworker women in the Midwest United States; (2) to examine the variables that predict depression and suicidal ideation; and (3) to qualitatively--through interviews--determine the stressors experienced by migrant farmworker women. The overall sample reported elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Family dysfunction, ineffective social support, hopelessness, and high acculturative stress were related to high depression. Migrant farmworker women who experienced suicidal ideation reported lower self esteem, greater family dysfunction, less effective social support, greater hopelessness, higher acculturative stress, and more depression than migrant farmworker women with no suicidal ideation. In determining whether these factors could predict suicidal ideation, a logistic regression analysis accurately classified 100% of the cases. Finally, a content analysis revealed that the migrant farmworker women experienced 21 distinct stressors associated with their lifestyle. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

Fong, Daniel Y. T.; Yip, Paul S. F.

doi: 10.1080/13811110301582pmid: N/A

We study the geographical suicide pattern in Hong Kong and examine the influence of socio-economic status on suicides. The geographical distributions of suicide at different age categories (youth, middle-aged, and elderly) varied albeit those of the youth and middle-aged seemed more alike. High population density would lead to more youth and middle-aged suicides while a high proportion of Cantonese speaking residents and low proportion of owner-occupiers would lead to more middle-aged suicides. Four etiological factors of suicides--financial status, environmental setting, self- independence, and homemakers (mainly housewives)--were identified. Strong financial status and self-independence with less homemakers would decrease suicide rates at all age categories. Poor environmental factors would however increase suicide in the youth and middle-aged categories.

Marušič, Andrej; Landau, Sabine; Tomori, Martina

doi: 10.1080/13811110301578pmid: N/A

Characteristics of suicide among youth do not necessarily follow the pattern found in adults. Nevertheless, not many comparisons between young and adult suicides have been reported to date. Our aim was to compare trends, seasonality, weekly distribution, and methods of youth suicide with suicide in older population. The research was based on records for all 7,942 completed suicides in Slovenia between 1985 and 1997. Poisson regression modelling was used to study the long-term trend, monthly and weekly distributions, the suicide method, and the interaction of these factors with sex and age. A significant interaction was demonstrated between the long-term trend and age, but not with sex. Suicide rates were estimated to decrease in adults but not in youth. On the other hand sex, but not age, interacted with suicide method. Age and sex did not interact with monthly or weekly distribution of suicide. Trends and other clinically relevant characteristics of suicide among youth may be hidden if the overall suicide statistics are calculated.

Lester, David

doi: 10.1080/13811110301572pmid: N/A

A study of the correlates of measures of domestic integration with suicide rates over the provinces of Canada revealed a striking change from 1970 to 1990. In the 1970s, birth rates were negatively associated with suicide rates, while in the 1980s birth rates were positively associated with suicide rates. Reasons for this change are discussed.

Zlotnick, Caron; Wolfsdorf, Barbara A.; Johnson, Benjamin; Spirito, Anthony

doi: 10.1080/13811110301576pmid: N/A

The aim of this study was to examine the correlates of suicidal behavior among 64 adolescents (ages 13-17 years) and 62 young adults (ages 18-35 years) within a psychiatric inpatient setting. We investigated the influence of impairment in general self-regulation, including specific behavioral dysregulation, on suicidal behavior within these two groups. Results suggested that suicidal adolescents and young adults experienced similar degrees of overall disruption in self-regulation. However, compared to their young adult counterparts, suicidal adolescents were characterized by more self-injurious and self-mutilative behaviors, as well as greater outward expression of anger. Results indicated that adolescent attempters were particularly prone to self-harm behavior. These findings suggest that specific psychopathology associated with suicidal behavior may differ across these developmental stages.

Gil, Sharon

doi: 10.1080/13811110301575pmid: N/A

The main objective of the present study is to enrich our understanding regarding the role of personality traits in the explanation of suicide attempt behavior. More specifically, it employs Cloninger's three personality dimensions as a tool for predicting suicide attempt behavior among psychiatric patients. A total of 172 psychiatric outpatients, 80 with a history of suicide attempt and 92 without, participated in the study. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) suggests that psychiatric patients with a history of suicide attempt express higher levels of both novelty seeking and harm avoidance than do those without such a history. The findings of the present study confirm the major role played by personality traits in the understanding of suicide attempt behavior among psychiatric patients.

Monti, Karin; Cedereke, Marie; Öjehagen, Agneta

doi: 10.1080/13811110301581pmid: N/A

This study investigated attendance of treatment and follow-up characteristics in two samples of suicide attempters with different lengths of follow-up, that is after one month and after three months. They did not differ initially. After one month, most of the treatment non-attenders (32%) had not yet established an outpatient contact after inpatient treatment, while after three months, 38% of the patients had no psychiatric treatment. At one month, the patients more often had sleep disturbances, expressed hopelessness, and they also more often expressed other kinds of problems. After one and three months 36% and 30%, respectively, had suicidal thoughts. In both samples, these patients more often than the others expressed a need of professional help, regardless of ongoing treatment. Probably there is a critical period of time in which to engage the patient in treatment, and perhaps more than one follow-up contact should be made.

Dudley, Michael; Beard, John; Clarke, Adam; Knowles, Michelle; Buss, Richard; Schnieden, Vivienne; Einfeld, Stewart; Tobin, Margaret; Dietrich, Uta

doi: 10.1080/13811110301580pmid: N/A

A service enhancement program for deliberate self-harm (DSH) patients in two area mental health services in New South Wales, Australia, examined the effectiveness of emergency cards ('Green Cards') in enhancing patients' return rates, and perceived effectiveness by service personnel. Eighty-four percent of patients receiving a Card attended their appointment, compared with 40% receiving another form of referral. The Card did not ensure treatment continuation. Staff feared it might increase referral rates, reinforce DSH behavior and create more work, but this was unsubstantiated. Though Green Cards may be efficacious, their use in health service enhancement brings challenges for implementation not usually discussed in DSH intervention studies. Working with staff regarding barriers to such strategies is crucial to their adoption and success. This report finds the Green Card effective for patients engaging in DSH.

Catalan, Jose; Keating, David; Williams, Edwina R. L.

doi: 10.1080/13811110301577pmid: N/A

Suicide prevention remains an important objective for the mental health services. The mentally ill represent a group of individuals at increased risk of suicide and, understandably, efforts have been made to ensure high quality care provision to prevent such acts. Audit of clinical practice is an important tool to monitor the efficacy of services and to improve their performance, and here the workings of a multidisciplinary suicide audit process within an inner city general mental health service are described.