Rural Suicide—People or Place Effects?

Abstract

Compositional, contextual and collective factors are hypothesized to influence the elevated rate of suicide in rural compared with urban areas. These factors need to be tested in empirical studies that consider both individual and community-based risk factors, and are designed to enable exploration of likely within-rural differences.

Mortalidad debida a intoxicación por plaguicidas en Colombia entre 1998 y 2011

“…Las tasas de mortalidad por intoxicaciones con plaguicidas en el país fueron más altas en el área rural, con un mayor peso de la mortalidad por intoxicaciones autoinfligidas intencionalmente, lo que también se ha evidenciado en algunos países asiáticos como Corea del Sur (29), Sri Lanka (38), Taiwán (39) y China (40), en hechos probablemente relacionados con las actividades laborales de tipo agrícola, con el fácil acceso a los plaguicidas y el escaso control que sobre ellos se ejerce, a lo que se añaden aspectos de la vida rural como son el bajo nivel socioeconómico, las barreras para acceder y utilizar los servicios de salud, la cultura rural, y las actitudes de la comunidad hacia la enfermedad y la búsqueda de ayuda (41). Diversos estudios han demostrado la relación entre los problemas de salud mental y las tasas de suicidio en áreas rurales donde es difícil tener acceso a los servicios de salud.…”

Factors influencing suicide in older rural males: a review of Australian studies

“…This is a result of a combination of geographical location; physical injury; psychological, emotional and financial stress; and the importance placed on feelings of place 26 .…”

“…The stigma of mental illness was identified as a factor that prevented older rural males asking for assistance when they felt unable to cope with their daily life and responsibilities 10,11,20,[24][25][26] . Similarly, other studies reported the reluctance of older rural men to report feelings of stress and anxiety to their local doctor/general practitioner (GP) [9][10][11] , with Rajkumar and Hoolahan's study on the experiences of isolation in rural Australia reporting the low use of mental health and GP services generally 27 .…”

“…Judd and colleagues 11,26 suggest this may relate to a reduction in rural health services generally, with rural communities facing increased levels of out-migration and decreased population mass (a result of younger residents leaving rural areas to attend tertiary educational facilities and improve their chances of employment). The study conducted by Qi Renwick et al compared suicide in both rural and metropolitan areas, in order to highlight the inequity between rural and urban income levels, with rural residents earning far less than urban dwellers 32 .…”

“…Three studies found that when younger generations leave the farm, the burden of debt usually stays with the older generation, who are unable to leave the farm, and often unable to make a profit from it 10,11,20 . Some studies identified economic (global agricultural export) and government regulatory factors (such as workplace injury laws) that place farmers under increased pressure, resulting in anxiety, and sometimes post-traumatic stress disorder, following workplace injury 20,26,35 . Three studies 11,20,33 highlight the stoic, hardworking persona of the Australian farmer, and the feelings of failure and disappointment when family farms fail or financial situations seem unresolvable.…”