Is there a rural suicide problem?
Suggestions that youth suicide rates are disproportionately higher in rural areas were explored using Queensland cause-of-death data supplied by Queensland Health for the years 1986 to 1990. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were compared across three zones: urban, provincial and rural, for three age bands: all ages, 15 to 19 years and 20 to 29 years, for each sex. This Queensland study did not find a statistically significant excess of rural youth suicides. Further study of this phenomenon involving other states is called for.
Cantor
C H
CH
Department of Psychiatry, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane.
Coory
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011793:Queensland; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population