Factors Related to Childhood Suicides Soole, Rebecca; Kõlves, Kairi; De Leo, Diego
Crisis : the journal of crisis intervention and suicide prevention,
01/2014, Letnik:
35, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Background: Suicide among children under the age of 15 years is
a leading cause of death. Aims: The aim of the current study is
to identify demographic, psychosocial, and psychiatric factors ...associated with
child suicides. Method: Using external causes of deaths
recorded in the Queensland Child Death Register, a case-control study design was
applied. Cases were suicides of children (10-14 years) and adolescents
(15-17 years); controls were other external causes of death in the same
age band. Results: Between 2004 and 2012, 149 suicides were
recorded: 34 of children aged 10-14 years and 115 of adolescents aged
15-17 years. The gender asymmetry was less evident in child suicides and
suicides were significantly more prevalent in indigenous children. Children
residing in remote areas were significantly more likely to die by suicide than
other external causes compared with children in metropolitan areas. Types of
precipitating events differed between children and adolescents, with children
more likely to experience family problems. Disorders usually diagnosed during
infancy, childhood, and adolescence (e.g., ADHD) were significantly more common
among children compared with adolescents who died by suicide.
Conclusion: Psychosocial and environmental aspects of
children, in addition to mental health and behavioral difficulties, are
important in the understanding of suicide in this age group and in the
development of targeted suicide prevention.
