Suicide, alcohol, and divorce; aspects of gender and family integration

Abstract

Both over time and between countries within our cultural domain there seems to be a persistent male predominance in the suicide rate. Based on Durkheim's theory of social integration as a key issue in egoistic suicide, the present study aimed at analyzing two empirically operational aspects of social disintegrative factors on the male and female suicide rates in Norway; namely alcohol consumption and divorce. Times series analyses on differenced data from 1911 to 1990 showed that both alcohol consumption and divorce were independently and statistically significantly associated with the male suicide rate, but not with the female suicide rate. The results are discussed on basis of gender roles and social integration.

Explaining Changing Suicide Rates in Norway 1948–2004: The Role of Social Integration

“…All these studies point to the divorce rate as a factor behind increasing suicide rates. Several researchers have focused more exclusively on the potential impact of alcohol (Skog 1986;Norström and Rossow 1999;Ramstedt 2001), in general supporting the link between alcohol consumption and suicide rates (consistent with Rossow 1993). Internationally, a number of aggregate level studies have been done, using time-series methodology (reviewed in Stack 2000a, b;Gunnell et al 2003).…”

“…Only a handful of earlier studies have analyzed suicide rates in Norway, using time-series methodology, in relation to integration variables (Stack 1989;Rossow 1993;Lester and Yang 1998). All these studies point to the divorce rate as a factor behind increasing suicide rates.…”

Suicídio atípico com dois ou mais disparos efetivos de arma de fogo: casuística do Instituto Médico Legal de Belo Horizonte e implicações periciais

“…Acredita-se que o casamento e/ou a união estável promove estabilidade social e emocional, maior integração social e redução das taxas de isolamento. Esses fatores justificam a menor taxa de suicídio entre as pessoas que possuem algum tipo de união afetiva estável [18][19][20].…”

Rusmiddelbruk og dødelighet

“…Disse viser en signifikant sammenheng mellom endringer i konsumnivå og selvmordsrater for menn. En interessant observasjon her er at effekten av en økning i gjennomsnittskonsumet med 1 liter per innbygger per år, synes å vaere størst i land med et lavt konsumnivå ("tørre" kulturer), og for Sverige og Norge har man beregnet at en slik økning i konsumet vil vaere assosiert med en økning i selvmordsraten for menn i størrelsesorden 10-15% (26,27). I land med et relativt høyt alkoholkonsum ("våte" kulturer) som Frankrike og Portugal, gir imidlertid en slik økning i alkoholkonsumet et relativt mindre utslag på selvmordstallene (størrelsesorden 2-3%) (28)(29).…”