Consistency of immigrant suicide rates in Austria with country-of-birth suicide rates: a role for genetic risk factors for suicide?
Multifaceted evidence (family, twin, adoption, molecular genetic, geographic, and surname studies of suicide) suggests genetic risk factors for suicide. The migrant study design is also informative in this context, but underused. In particular, immigrant studies of suicide with a continental European host country are unavailable. The correspondence of suicide prevalence among 22 immigrant groups in Austria (1970-2006) with those of the homelands during the same period was analyzed. Immigrant and homeland suicide rates were significantly positively associated. Controls for age of suicide victim, immigrant group size, national pride, and quality of life in the homelands left the finding essentially unchanged. This correspondence of immigrant and country-of-birth suicide rates is consistent with the assumption of population differences in the prevalence of genetic risk factors for suicide, for which there is emerging evidence.
Voracek
Martin
M
Department of Basic Psychological Research, University of Vienna, Austria. martin.voracek@univie.ac.at
Loibl
Lisa Mariella
LM
Dervic
Kanita
K
Kapusta
Nestor D
ND
Niederkrotenthaler
Thomas
T
Sonneck
Gernot
G
D001244:Association; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044382:Population Groups / Q000235:genetics; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data