title: Association between adolescent suicide and sociodemographic factors in Chile: cross-sectional ecological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adolescent suicide rates (ASR) are a matter of concern worldwide. Causes of this trend are not understood and could correspond to socioeconomic factors such as inequality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate sociodemographic variables related to ASR, particularly the potential association with indicators of socioeconomic inequality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional ecological study analyzing data from 29 health districts with univariate and multivariable multilevel Poisson models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ASR were higher in male adolescents and at increasing age. No association was found between ASR and inequality (Gini coefficient and 20/20 ratio). Analysis revealed that living in a single-parent family is associated with ASR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The usual demographic patterns of adolescent suicide apply in Chile. An emerging variable of interest is single-parent family. No cross-sectional association between social inequality and ASR was found based on conflicting evidence. These results should be explored in future prospective population studies to further understand associated social factors.
authors.affiliation: 1 Programa de Políticas, Sistemas y Gestión en Salud, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Cristóbal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuadrado
authors.affiliation: 2 Unidad de Estudios Asistenciales, Complejo Asistencial Barros Luco, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zitko
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, University College of London, UK.
authors.forename: Trinidad
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Covarrubias
authors.affiliation: 4 Departamento de Psiquiatria, Campus Sur. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Dunia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: 4 Departamento de Psiquiatria, Campus Sur. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sade
authors.affiliation: 5 Departamento de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: 4 Departamento de Psiquiatria, Campus Sur. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020954:Single-Parent Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: income inequality; social determinants of health; social epidemiology; youth suicide