Population density and suicide in Scotland.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• Suicide rates among men in Scotland are rising, contrasting with neighboring countries.
• Previous research indicated higher male suicide and undetermined death rates in rural Scottish areas.
• This study investigates the relationship between population density and suicide/undetermined death rates in Scotland.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between population density and suicide and undetermined death rates in Scotland.
• To explore how deprivation influences these rates across different population densities and age groups.
• To identify specific demographic and geographic patterns in suicide risk.

Main Methods:

• Utilized anonymized death data (suicide and undetermined cause) from Scotland (1981-1999).
• Assigned deprivation and population density scores to each postcode sector.
• Employed loglinear models to analyze effects of time period, deprivation, population density, and their interactions by sex and age group.

Main Results:

• Men exhibited higher suicide rate ratios in the most and least densely populated areas.
• Deprivation was consistently associated with higher suicide rates in both sexes and all age groups.
• Women showed varying associations: no link in younger women, similar to men in 25-44 year olds, and lower rates in rural areas for older women.

Conclusions:

• Deprivation is a significant risk factor for suicide and undetermined deaths across all population densities and age groups.
• The highest male suicide rates occur in both high and low population density areas, independent of deprivation.
• Population density's impact on suicide rates differs by sex and age, with distinct patterns observed in women compared to men.