TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex and ethnic differences among South Tirolean suicides
T2 - A psychological autopsy study
AU - Pycha, Roger
AU - Pompili, Maurizio
AU - Innamorati, Marco
AU - Schwitzer, Josef
AU - Lester, David
AU - Sani, Gabriele
AU - Tatarelli, Roberto
AU - Giupponi, Giancarlo
PY - 2009/1
Y1 - 2009/1
N2 - Objective: The aim of the research is to study whether any differences exist in the rates and characteristics of suicide by ethnicity and sex in South Tirol, Italy. Methods: Psychological autopsy interviews were conducted for suicides who died between March 1997 and July 2006. Results: 332 individuals belonging to the three major South Tirolean ethnic groups (Germans, Italians, Ladins [Ladin is a Rhaeto-Romance language related to the Venetian and Swiss Romansh languages]) died by suicide. Around 23% of the victims had experienced suicidal behaviour among family members, and more than 31% of them had experienced trauma during their childhood. Germans were 1.37 times more at risk to commit suicide than Italians (95% CI: 1.04/1.80; z = 2.26, p <.05). 69% of the suicides had attended school for less than 8 years: Germans (OR = 4.62; 95% CI: 2.52/8.47; p <.001) and Ladins (OR = 11.24; 95% CI: 2.99/42.30; p <.001) were more likely to have lower education than Italians. There were several differences by ethnicity and sex but no sex-by-ethnicity interactions. Conclusions: The study indicated that suicide, an alarming health and social problem in South Tirol, may require different preventive interventions for men and women and for those of different ethnicities.
AB - Objective: The aim of the research is to study whether any differences exist in the rates and characteristics of suicide by ethnicity and sex in South Tirol, Italy. Methods: Psychological autopsy interviews were conducted for suicides who died between March 1997 and July 2006. Results: 332 individuals belonging to the three major South Tirolean ethnic groups (Germans, Italians, Ladins [Ladin is a Rhaeto-Romance language related to the Venetian and Swiss Romansh languages]) died by suicide. Around 23% of the victims had experienced suicidal behaviour among family members, and more than 31% of them had experienced trauma during their childhood. Germans were 1.37 times more at risk to commit suicide than Italians (95% CI: 1.04/1.80; z = 2.26, p <.05). 69% of the suicides had attended school for less than 8 years: Germans (OR = 4.62; 95% CI: 2.52/8.47; p <.001) and Ladins (OR = 11.24; 95% CI: 2.99/42.30; p <.001) were more likely to have lower education than Italians. There were several differences by ethnicity and sex but no sex-by-ethnicity interactions. Conclusions: The study indicated that suicide, an alarming health and social problem in South Tirol, may require different preventive interventions for men and women and for those of different ethnicities.
KW - Ethnicity
KW - Psychological autopsy
KW - Suicide
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U2 - 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.08.005
DO - 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.08.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 18951765
AN - SCOPUS:58149194771
VL - 24
SP - 47
EP - 56
JO - Psychiatrie et Psychobiologie
JF - Psychiatrie et Psychobiologie
SN - 0924-9338
IS - 1
ER -