OBJECTIVES European countries with a high suicide rate tend to also report a high share of suicides by hanging. A statistically positive and significant correlation can be found between the two. ...There are a few possible explanations for this phenomenon, in particular with a possible confounding variable. The aim of this study was to observe the effect of gender distribution and alcohol consumption on the correlation. METHOD Seventeen European countries reported their suicide rates, shares of different suicide methods (emphasis was placed on suicide by hanging) and gender distribution. Data for alcohol consumption (total alcohol in litres per capita, distributionof beer, wine and spirits) was provided by WHO database. RESULTS Statistically significant associations (all positive) were: (1) between the percentage of suicides by hanging and the national suicide rate (r = 0.55; n =16; p = 0.03); (2) between the percentage of hanging and male-female ratio ofsuicides (r = 0.74; n = 16; p = 0.01); (3 and 4) between the consumption of spirits (i.e. beverages with more than 40% alcohol) and the rcentage of hanging on one side (r = 0.74; n = 15; p = 0.002) and the national suicide rate on the other (r = 0.54; n = 16; p = 0.03). Accordingly, we decided to control the correlation between the suicide rate and the percentage of hangingby male-female ratio and the consumption of spirits. Only the latter turned out to be the third (confounding) variable. DISCUSSION According to theobtained results, the statistical correlation between the national suicide rate and national share of suicides by hanging u the most aggressive suicide method u is conditioned with high per-capita intake of high percentage alcoholbeverages. On the other hand, total alcohol consumption or male-female ratio has no effect whatsoever on the commonness of suicide by hanging as a potential predictor of the extent of suicidal behaviour for a given European nation. Our study proposes a hypothesis that the dangerousness of suicide method and suicide behaviour itself are more closely connected in culture withprevailing intoxication-oriented drinking patterns and perhaps adds to thegrowing body of evidence that a substantial proportion of suicides is due to the acute effect of binge drinking.
It was not necessary to add the material to the shelf.
Bibliographic material was successfully added on shelf.
Adding bibliographical material on shelf was not successful.
Material is already on the shelf.
Permalink
URL:
Impact factor
Access to the JCR database is permitted only to users from Slovenia. Your current IP address is not on the list of IP addresses with access permission, and authentication with the relevant AAI accout is required.
Year
Impact factor
Edition
Category
Classification
JCR
SNIP
JCR
SNIP
JCR
SNIP
JCR
SNIP
Select the library membership card:
DRS,
in which the journal is indexed
Database name
Field
Year
Links to authors' personal bibliographies
Links to information on researchers in the SICRIS system
Subject headings in COBISS General List of Subject Headings
Select pickup location
The material from the parent unit is free. If the material is delivered to the pickup location from another unit, the library may charge you for this service.
Naročanje gradiva za izposojo v čitalnice
Naročanje kopij člankov
Urnik dostave gradiva z oznako DS v signaturi