|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
University of
California, Riverside, USA
Correspondence to: Augustine J Kposowa, Department of Sociology, 1214 Watkins Hall, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
Accepted for publication 12 August 1999
OBJECTIVES
The purpose
of the study was to examine the effect of marital status on the risk of
suicide, using a large nationally representative sample. A related
objective was to investigate the association between marital status and
suicide by sex.
METHODS
Cox
proportional hazards regression models were applied to data from the
National Longitudinal Mortality Study, based on the 1979-1989 follow
up. In estimating the effect of marital status, adjustments were made
for age, sex, race, education, family income, and region of residence.
RESULTS
For the entire
sample, higher risks of suicide were found in divorced than in married
persons. Divorced and separated persons were over twice as likely to
commit suicide as married persons (RR=2.08, 95% confidence intervals
(95% CI) 1.58, 2.72). Being single or widowed had no significant
effect on suicide risk. When data were stratified by sex, it was
observed that the risk of suicide among divorced men was over twice
that of married men (RR=2.38, CI 1.77, 3.20). Among women, however,
there were no statistically significant differentials in the risk of
suicide by marital status categories.
CONCLUSIONS
Marital
status, especially divorce, has strong net effect on mortality from
suicide, but only among men. The study showed that in epidemiological
research on suicide, more accurate results would be obtained if samples
are stratified on the basis of key demographic or social
characteristics. The study further observed that failure to control for
relevant socioeconomic variables or combining men and women in the same
models could produce misleading results.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
N. E. Maki and P. T. Martikainen Socioeconomic differences in suicide mortality by sex in Finland in 1971--2000: A register-based study of trends, levels, and life expectancy differences Scand J Public Health, August 1, 2007; 35(4): 387 - 395. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Agerbo, P. Qin, and P. B. Mortensen Psychiatric illness, socioeconomic status, and marital status in people committing suicide: a matched case-sibling-control study. J. Epidemiol. Community Health, September 1, 2006; 60(9): 776 - 781. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M.-D. Kim, S.-C. Hong, S.-Y. Lee, Y.-S. Kwak, C.-I. Lee, S.-W. Hwang, T.-K. Shin, S.-M. Lee, and J.-N. Shin Suicide risk in relation to social class: a national register-based study of adult suicides in Korea, 1999-2001. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, March 1, 2006; 52(2): 138 - 151. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. LORANT, A. E. KUNST, M. HUISMAN, G. COSTA, J. MACKENBACH, and EU Working Group on Socio-Economic Inequalities in Socio-economic inequalities in suicide: a European comparative study The British Journal of Psychiatry, July 1, 2005; 187(1): 49 - 54. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Agerbo Midlife suicide risk, partner's psychiatric illness, spouse and child bereavement by suicide or other modes of death: a gender specific study J. Epidemiol. Community Health, May 1, 2005; 59(5): 407 - 412. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. E. Malphurs and D. Cohen A Statewide Case-Control Study of Spousal Homicide-Suicide in Older Persons Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, March 1, 2005; 13(3): 211 - 217. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Gunnell, R. Harbord, N. Singleton, R. Jenkins, and G. Lewis Factors influencing the development and amelioration of suicidal thoughts in the general population: Cohort study The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2004; 185(5): 385 - 393. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A J Kposowa Divorce and suicide risk J. Epidemiol. Community Health, December 1, 2003; 57(12): 993 - 993. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. Qin, E. Agerbo, and P. B. Mortensen Suicide Risk in Relation to Socioeconomic, Demographic, Psychiatric, and Familial Factors: A National Register-Based Study of All Suicides in Denmark, 1981-1997 Am J Psychiatry, April 1, 2003; 160(4): 765 - 772. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C W Runyan, K E Moracco, L Dulli, and J Butts Suicide among North Carolina women, 1989-93: information from two data sources Inj. Prev., March 1, 2003; 9(1): 67 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. B. Luoma and J. L. Pearson Suicide and Marital Status in the United States, 1991-1996: Is Widowhood a Risk Factor? Am J Public Health, September 1, 2002; 92(9): 1518 - 1522. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Kunce and A. L. Anderson The Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on State Suicide Rates: A Methodological Note Urban Stud, January 1, 2002; 39(1): 155 - 162. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Myslobodsky, F. M. Lalonde, and L. Hicks Are Patients with Parkinson's Disease Suicidal? J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, September 1, 2001; 14(3): 120 - 124. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y B CHEUNG, P. S F YIP;, and A. J KPOSOWA Marital status and suicide: some common methodological problems J. Epidemiol. Community Health, November 1, 2000; 54(11): 878 - 878. [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
D. P Rice Cost of illness studies: what is good about them? Inj. Prev., September 1, 2000; 6(3): 177 - 179. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
Read all eLetters
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS | REGISTER |