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Association between adolescent suicide and sociodemographic factors in Chile: cross-sectional ecological study
Cristóbal Cuadrado1, Pedro Zitko2, Trinidad Covarrubias3
11 Programa de Políticas, Sistemas y Gestión en Salud, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
Background:
Adolescent suicide rates (ASR) are a matter of concern worldwide. Causes of this trend are not understood and could correspond to socioeconomic factors such as inequality.
Aim:
To investigate sociodemographic variables related to ASR, particularly the potential association with indicators of socioeconomic inequality.
Method:
Cross-sectional ecological study analyzing data from 29 health districts with univariate and multivariable multilevel Poisson models.
Results:
ASR were higher in male adolescents and at increasing age. No association was found between ASR and inequality (Gini coefficient and 20/20 ratio). Analysis revealed that living in a single-parent family is associated with ASR.
Conclusions:
The usual demographic patterns of adolescent suicide apply in Chile. An emerging variable of interest is single-parent family. No cross-sectional association between social inequality and ASR was found based on conflicting evidence. These results should be explored in future prospective population studies to further understand associated social factors.
