Immigration and Suicide: The Role of Marital Status, Duration of Residence, and Social Integration

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of immigration on suicide. An unmatched case-control design was employed. Data on cases were obtained on suicides in Riverside County, California, 1998 to 2001. Information on controls was obtained from the 2000 Census. Immigration increased suicide risk. Immigrant divorced persons were over 2 times more likely to commit suicide than natives. Single immigrants were nearly 2.6 times more likely to kill themselves than the native born. Shorter duration of residence was associated with higher suicide risk. Integration of immigrants in receiving societies is important for decreasing suicide. Policies aimed at reducing suicide should target more recent immigrants.

Geographic variation in male suicide rates in the United States

“…An overarching theme in many studies of suicide is a focus on social integration and fragmentation (Congdon, 1996;2004;Kposowa, McElvain, & Breault, 2008;Tsai, Lucas, Sania, Kim, & Kawachi, 2014;Walker, 2009). This research builds on Durkheim's (1952) work, which demonstrated that suicide is an individual act grounded in social relationships and the melding of social integration and social regulation (Bearman, 1991).…”

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

“…Migrant suicide is also likely to be influenced by ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status and residence in urban or rural area of residence of the host country (Kliewer & Ward, 1988;Morrell, Taylor, Slaytor, & Ford, 1999;Shah, Lindesay, & Dennis, 2009;Singh & Siahpush, 2006;Taylor, Morrell, Slaytor, & Ford, 1998;Trovato & Jarvis, 1986). Factors such as shorter duration of residence (Hjern & Allebeck, 2002) and relationship status (i.e., single immigrants may have higher risk) (Kposowa, McElvain, & Breault, 2008) could also have an influence on migrant suicide rates. A study by Ott and colleagues (Ott, Winkler, Kyobutungi, Laki, & Becher, 2008) also suggests that second generation immigrants are at greater risk of suicide than their parental generation.…”

Cosmopolitanism and the relevance of ‘zombie concepts’: the case of anomic suicide amongst Alevi Kurd youth

“…Studies on suicide suggest that compared to their communities of origin, the majority of immigrant communities show higher rates of suicide (Borges et al 2009;Kposowa, McElvain and Breault 2008;Aspinal 2002;Leavey 1999;Neeleman and Wessely 1999;Burvill 1998;Hassan 1995Hassan , 1983. Although research focuses on individual risk factors such as geographical distance, culture shock, future shock, racism, identity crises, family breakdown, unemployment and so on, they all, like Durkheim, attribute these rates to a decline in the cohesiveness or integration of the community as a consequence of the migratory and settlement process.…”

“…According to research conducted by Kposowa, McElvain and Breault (2008), Hjern and Allebeck (2002), Hassan (1995) and Trovato and Jarvis (1986) certain immigrant communities preserve their pre-migration suicide rates even in the country of settlement. These communities manage to preserve their traditional or pre-migration social structures and establish an ethnic community with a sufficient level of integration of their members.…”

“…This geographical, social and economic concentration was created because the AKs came predominantly from traditional rural communities with no knowledge of life in the UK and the English language, and this made it difficult to transcend their ethnic boundaries and engage with the wider British society. However, it protected them from those factors, such as the cutting of traditional ties, culture shock, racism, unemployment, and feelings of uprootedness, associated with high rates of suicide amongst other immigrant communities (see Kposowa, McElvain andBreault 2008 andHassan 1995).…”