title: Differences between urban and rural suicides.
abstract: As part of a nation-wide psychological autopsy we examined the differences in DSM-III-R mental disorders, recent life events and other characteristics between urban (n = 143) and rural (n = 85) completed suicides in a random sample of 229 cases from the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland for the period 1987-1988. Psychoactive substance use disorders (48% vs. 34%), cluster B personality disorders (24% vs. 9%) and psychiatric comorbidity (66% vs. 42%) were found more commonly among urban than rural suicides. Urban suicides were also more often reported to be preceded by a recent separation (25% vs. 8%), whereas rural suicide victims tended to have lacked a close companion of the opposite sex (36% vs. 18%) and to have had physical disorders (56% vs. 40%). Overall, urban and rural suicides may vary with regard to the prevalence of some mental disorders, their comorbidity, and physical disorders, as well as the preceding life situation. This variation may also imply the need for differences in strategies for suicide prevention in each setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isometsä
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henriksson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marttunen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lönnqvist
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D015897:Comorbidity; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000506:poisoning; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs