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Predictors of suicides occurring within suicide clusters in Australia, 2004–2008

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  • Derek Cheung, Yee Tak
  • Spittal, Matthew J.
  • Williamson, Michelle Kate
  • Tung, Sui Jay
  • Pirkis, Jane

Abstract

A number of studies have investigated the presence of suicide clusters, but few have sought to identify risk and protective factors of a suicide occurring within a cluster. We aimed to identify socio-demographic and contextual characteristics of suicide clusters from national and regional analyses of suicide clusters. We searched the National Coroners Information System for all suicides in Australia from 2004 to 2008. Scan statistics were initially used to identify those deaths occurring within a spatial-temporal suicide cluster during the period. We then used logistic regression and generalized estimation equations to estimate the odds of each suicide occurring within a cluster differed by sex, age, marital status, employment status, Indigenous status, method of suicide and location. We identified 258 suicides out of 10,176 suicides during the period that we classified as being within a suicide cluster. When the deceased was Indigenous, living outside a capital city, or living in the northern part of Australia (in particular, Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia) then there was an increased likelihood of their death occurring within a suicide cluster. These findings suggest that suicide clustering might be linked with geographical and Indigenous factors, which supported sociological explanations of suicide clustering. This finding is significant for justifying resource allocation for tackling suicide clustering in particular areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Derek Cheung, Yee Tak & Spittal, Matthew J. & Williamson, Michelle Kate & Tung, Sui Jay & Pirkis, Jane, 2014. "Predictors of suicides occurring within suicide clusters in Australia, 2004–2008," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 135-142.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:118:y:2014:i:c:p:135-142
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.08.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alston, Margaret, 2012. "Rural male suicide in Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(4), pages 515-522.
    2. Yee Tak Derek Cheung & Matthew J Spittal & Michelle Kate Williamson & Sui Jay Tung & Jane Pirkis, 2013. "Application of Scan Statistics to Detect Suicide Clusters in Australia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Gould, M.S. & Wallenstein, S. & Kleinman, M.H. & O'Carroll, P. & Mercy, J., 1990. "Suicide clusters: An examination of age-specific effects," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 80(2), pages 211-212.
    4. Wissow, Lawrence S. & Walkup, John & Barlow, Allison & Reid, Raymond & Kane, Scott, 2001. "Cluster and regional influences on suicide in a Southwestern American Indian tribe," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 53(9), pages 1115-1124, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hill, Nicole & Too, Lay San & Spittal, Matt & Robinson, Jo, 2020. "Suicide clusters in Australian youth: A comparison of cluster detection methods," SocArXiv a6q3p, Center for Open Science.
    2. Şenol Demirci & Murat Konca & Birol Yetim & Gülnur İlgün, 2020. "Effect of economic crisis on suicide cases: An ARDL bounds testing approach," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(1), pages 34-40, February.

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