Abstract
To estimate the effect of social factors in the neighborhood environment on suicide risks, we studied 392 suicides and 416
controls, all aged 15–34 years, consecutively and randomly selected from 16 rural counties in three provinces of China. The
social factors in the village neighborhood were measured by the WHO scale of Community Stress and Problems. The individual
scores as well as the sum scores of the Community Stress Problems were compared between the suicides and the controls, and
multilevel logit regressions were performed for the social structural stresses and community behavioral problems and other
confounding variables to test the roles of community stress and problems in Chinese rural young suicide risks. It is found
that neighborhood stresses and problems increase rural Chinese suicide risks, while certain problems, such as in health care,
alcohol abuse, job security, family dispute, and transportation, play more important roles than others to increase rural Chinese
suicide risks. Social risk factors such as the community stresses and problems can be another area to work on for the suicide
prevention.
controls, all aged 15–34 years, consecutively and randomly selected from 16 rural counties in three provinces of China. The
social factors in the village neighborhood were measured by the WHO scale of Community Stress and Problems. The individual
scores as well as the sum scores of the Community Stress Problems were compared between the suicides and the controls, and
multilevel logit regressions were performed for the social structural stresses and community behavioral problems and other
confounding variables to test the roles of community stress and problems in Chinese rural young suicide risks. It is found
that neighborhood stresses and problems increase rural Chinese suicide risks, while certain problems, such as in health care,
alcohol abuse, job security, family dispute, and transportation, play more important roles than others to increase rural Chinese
suicide risks. Social risk factors such as the community stresses and problems can be another area to work on for the suicide
prevention.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s10597-011-9447-0
- Authors
- Jie Zhang, School of Social Development, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
- Cuntong Wang, School of Social Development, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
- Journal Community Mental Health Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-2789
- Print ISSN 0010-3853