title: Suicide in happy places revisited: the geographical unit of analysis matters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A recent study reported that the highest suicide rates in the US occurred in the happiest states. This is a counter-intuitive finding. The present research investigated whether the same result occurred when the unit of analysis was city. The association between happiness (of most) and suicide (by some) might differ in cities versus states because those in a city provide a more immediate influence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suicide rates were examined in 44 large US cities as a function of the average happiness reported by residents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to our results, happier cities had lower suicide rates (Spearman's rho = -.37, p < .014), implying that cities may be a more meaningful unit of analysis than states for studies of suicide risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The appropriate geographical unit of analysis needs to be considered seriously in psychological studies.
authors: University of Michigan, USA.
authors: Nansook
authors: N
authors: Park
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Peterson
mesh_terms: D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: cities; geography; happiness; life satisfaction; suicide