Nonmarital Fertility and the Effects of Divorce Rates on Youth Suicide Rates

Canada's rate of suicide varies from province to province. The classical theory of suicide, which attempts to explain the social suicide rate, stems from Durkheim, who argued that low levels of social integration and regulation are associated with high rates of suicide. The present study explored whether social factors (divorce, marriage, and birth rates) do in fact predict suicide rates over time for each province (period studied: 1950-1990). The results showed a positive association between divorce rates and suicide rates, and a negative association between birth rates and suicide rates. Marriage rates showed no consistent association, an anomaly as compared to research from other nations.

Download Full-text

Child and Adolescent Suicides in Bosnia and Herzegovina Before and After the War (1992–1995)

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000021 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 160-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Almir Fajkic ◽

Orhan Lepara ◽

Martin Voracek ◽

Nestor D. Kapusta ◽

Thomas Niederkrotenthaler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽

Age Differences ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Child And Adolescent ◽

Youth Suicide ◽

Southeastern Europe ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Before And After ◽

Sex And Age Differences

Background: Evidence on youth suicides from Southeastern Europe is scarce. We are not aware of previous reports from Bosnia and Herzegovina, which experienced war from 1992 to 1995. Durkheim’s theory of suicide predicts decreased suicide rates in wartime and increased rates afterward. Aims: To compare child and adolescent suicides in Bosnia and Herzegovina before and after the war. Methods: Data on youth suicide for prewar (1986–90) and postwar (2002–06) periods were analyzed with respect to prevalence, sex and age differences, and suicide methods. Suicide data from 1991 through 2001 were not available. Results: Overall youth suicide rates were one-third lower in the postwar than in the prewar period. This effect was most pronounced for girls, whose postwar suicide rates almost halved, and for 15–19-year-old boys, whose rates decreased by about a one-fourth. Suicides increased among boys aged 14 or younger. Firearm suicides almost doubled proportionally and were the predominant postwar method, while the most common prewar method had been hanging. Conclusions: The findings from this study indicate the need for public education in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the role of firearm accessibility in youth suicide and for instructions on safe storage in households. Moreover, raising societal awareness about suicide risk factors and suicide prevention is needed.

Download Full-text

Use of Age-Adjusted Suicide Rates in Time Series Studies in Canada

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1997.81.2.490 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 81 (2) ◽

pp. 490-490

Author(s):

David Lester

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Time Series Studies ◽

Divorce Rates

For 1950–1985 age adjusted suicide rates were associated with marriage, birth, and divorce rates in Canada in the same way as were crude suicide rates.

Download Full-text

Rise in Youth Suicide Rates Confounds Experts

Psychiatric News ◽

10.1176/appi.pn.2019.11b17 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (22) ◽

Author(s):

Linda M. Richmond

Keyword(s):

Youth Suicide ◽

Suicide Rates

Download Full-text

Relationship of 1977 State Suicide Rates to Population Increases and Immigration

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1981.49.3.856 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 856-858 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Myron Boor

Keyword(s):

Social Integration ◽

District Of Columbia ◽

Crime Rates ◽

Population Increase ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Divorce Rates ◽

Two Indices ◽

Additional Support ◽

Relationship Of

The 1977 suicide rates of the 50 states and the District of Columbia were related significantly to their rates of population increase and immigration. These results, which were replicated with data from 1940, 1950, 1960, and 1970, provide additional support for Durkheim's hypothesized relationship between suicide rates and societal integration, since high rates of immigration and population increase are likely to characterize geographical areas with low social integration. As expected, crime rates and divorce rates were related significantly to suicide rates and to these two indices of social integration.

Download Full-text

Relative Misery and Youth Suicide

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00854.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 49-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

James G. Barber

Keyword(s):

Social Comparison ◽

Affective State ◽

Young Men ◽

Adolescent Adjustment ◽

World Health ◽

Youth Suicide ◽

Absolute Level ◽

Depressed Affect ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Male Suicide

Objective: To test the ‘absolute misery hypothesis’ that suicide rates are a proxy measure of psychological maladjustment within the general population of young people. Method: Study I regressed World Health Organization statistics on youth suicide rates on measures of adolescent adjustment across seven countries. Study II analysed the results of a Canadian survey involving 2111 children from 31 schools in grades seven to 12 (ages 11–20 years, mean = 15.5, SD = 1.7). The survey contained measures of suicidality, depressed affect and social comparison. Results: Study I found that male suicide was much more likely in psychologically welladjusted countries than in less well-adjusted countries. Although not statistically significant in a sample of this size (n = 7), correlation analysis suggested that the relationship between suicide and adjustment was in the opposite direction for females. Study II found that suicidality in boys was not associated with depressed affect on its own, or with social comparison on its own, but was associated with the combination of depressed affect and negative social comparison. By contrast, suicidality in girls was significantly associated both with absolute and comparative levels of unhappiness. Conclusions: A new, ‘relative misery hypothesis’ is proposed to account for these results. Under this hypothesis, the disposition of vulnerable young men towards suicide is influenced by their affective state relative to others. When those around them are perceived to be better off than they are, the predisposition of young men to suicide is increased. By contrast, female suicide is predicted to be less influenced by young women's relative state, and more by their absolute level of unhappiness. The primary implication of the relative misery hypothesis is that the prevention of young male suicide in particular is likely to require methods that discourage vulnerable individuals from making negative social comparisons.

Download Full-text

Mental Wellness through Culture: An Examination of Youth Suicide Rates in Canada’s Aboriginal Communities and Recommendations for Public Policy

The Arbutus Review ◽

10.18357/ar.turnerm.512014 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 177-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marla Turner

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Youth Suicide ◽

Aboriginal Communities ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Mental Wellness

Download Full-text

Rural youth in distress? Youth self-harm presentations to a rural hospital over 10 years

Journal of Primary Health Care ◽

10.1071/hc19033 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 109 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Isobel Ferguson ◽

Stephanie Moor ◽

Chris Frampton ◽

Steve Withington

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Emergency Department ◽

New Zealand ◽

Rural Community ◽

Rural Youth ◽

Youth Suicide ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Exploratory Investigation ◽

Chi Squared ◽

Self Harm

ABSTRACT IntroductionDespite growing awareness of increasing rates of youth suicide and self-harm in New Zealand, there is still little known about self-harm among rural youth. AimThis study compared: (1) rates of youth self-harm presentations between a rural emergency department (ED) and nationally available rates; and (2) local and national youth suicide rates over the decade from January 2008 to December 2017. MethodsData were requested on all presentations to Ashburton Hospital ED coded for ‘self-harm’ for patients aged 15–24 years. Comparative data were obtained from the coroner, Ministry of Health and the 2013 census. Analyses were conducted of the effects of age, time, repetition, method, ethnicity and contact with mental health services on corresponding suicide rates. ResultsSelf-harm rates in Ashburton rose in the post-earthquake period (2013–17). During the peri-earthquake period (2008–12), non-Māori rates of self-harm were higher than for Māori (527 vs 116 per 100000 youth respectively), reflecting the national trend. In the post-earthquake period, although non-Māori rates of self-harm stayed stable (595 per 100000), there was a significant increase in Māori rates of self-harm to 1106 per 100000 (Chi-squared = 14.0, P < 0.001). Youth living within the Ashburton township showed higher rates than youth living more rurally. DiscussionYouth self-harm behaviours, especially self-poisoning, have increased since the Canterbury earthquakes in the Ashburton rural community. Of most concern was the almost ninefold increase in Māori self-harm presentations in recent years, along with the increasing prevalence among teenagers and females. Possible explanations and further exploratory investigation strategies are discussed.

Download Full-text