Suicide in first- and second-generation immigrants in Sweden: a comparative study

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• First-generation immigrants exhibit elevated suicide rates compared to their countries of origin.
• Limited data exists on suicide risk among second-generation immigrants and intercountry adoptees.
• This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding suicide death rates in these specific populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare suicide death rates in second-generation immigrants and intercountry adoptees.
• To assess these rates relative to the parental (first-generation immigrant) generation.
• To benchmark against the majority population's suicide risk.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multivariate analyses of Swedish national register data.
• Examined suicide deaths occurring between 1990 and 1998.
• Included a cohort of 2.7 million residents aged 10-68 years.

Main Results:

• Second-generation immigrants demonstrated higher odds of suicide death across all six minority groups studied, compared to first-generation immigrants and the majority population.
• The Finnish minority group showed the highest, while Middle Eastern groups showed the lowest, odds for suicide death in both immigrant generations.
• Intercountry adoptees presented substantially elevated odds for suicide death (adjusted Odds Ratio: 5.0; 95% Confidence Interval: 3.5-7.0).

Conclusions:

• Second-generation immigrants are identified as a population at increased risk for suicide death compared to their parents.
• Intercountry adoptees represent a group requiring significant attention for suicide prevention strategies.
• Findings underscore the need for tailored public health interventions for immigrant and adoptee populations.