Financial loss and suicidal ideation in a rural community sample.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in a community-based rural sample.


METHODS
The sample was a random sample of people living in a single county in Iowa. Participants aged 18 or older (n=1617) were asked about suicidal ideation in the past year as well as mood, alcohol use, social support, and stressful life events.


RESULTS
About 8.2% of the sample reported suicidal ideation. Depressive symptoms, problems resulting from alcohol use, infrequent social contact and financial loss characterized the suicidal group.


CONCLUSIONS
Depressive symptoms were the strongest correlate of suicidal ideation in this rural sample. In the multivariate analysis, financial loss rather than low income remained a significant correlate of suicidal ideation after controlling for depression. This suggests that change in financial status rather than chronic poverty poses a risk for suicidal ideation.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005376:Financial Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*