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Train suicides in The Netherlands
Cornelis A J van Houwelingen1, Ad J F M Kerkhof, Domien G M Beersma
1GGz Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. cajvhou@tiscali.nl
Journal of Affective Disorders
|June 29, 2010
Summary
Train suicides do not correlate with railway density or population, but mirror general suicide trends. Prevention efforts should prioritize high-risk locations near towns and psychiatric hospitals.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Transportation Safety
Background:
- Limited understanding of train suicide prevalence and influencing factors.
- Previous research has not established links between railway parameters and train suicides.
- The relationship between train suicides and general population suicides requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test hypotheses linking railway density, transportation volume, familiarity, and population density to train suicide.
- To examine the correlation between train suicides and general population suicides.
- To identify characteristics and prevalence of high-risk locations for train suicides.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of train suicide trends with railway metrics (track length, train/passenger kilometers) from 1950-2007.
- Geographical distribution analysis of train suicides nationwide (1980-2007).
- Data sourced from The Netherlands Railways, Prorail, and Statistics Netherlands.
Main Results:
- No correlation found between train suicide incidence and railway parameters (density, volume, familiarity).
- Train suicide rates are independent of regional population density.
- Train suicide trends closely parallel those of general population suicides.
- Half of all train suicides occurred at specific high-risk locations, often near psychiatric facilities in urban areas.
Conclusions:
- Train suicide trends are a reflection of broader population suicide patterns.
- Increased train transportation volume does not contribute to a rise in train suicides.
- Prioritizing prevention at identified high-risk locations (urban areas, near psychiatric hospitals) is crucial for reducing train suicides.
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