Suicidal risks in rural versus urban populations in Sardinia

Rural locations have been associated with suicidal risk; low population density may be a relevant factor. Accordingly, we investigated hypothesized associations between suicidal ideation and behavior with selected geographic and population-related measures and other factors.

Consenting adult patients at a mood disorder center in Cagliari, Sardinia, were assessed for the presence of suicidal ideation and acts and their association with selected demographic and clinical factors as well as indicators of urbanicity and rurality, including distance from the region's main metropolitan area, population density, altitude, and population growth trends.

Of 5,668 subjects, 27% had an indication of lifetime suicidal behavior or ideation; 8.6% had at least one suicidal act. Low population density, higher altitude and their interaction, distance from the metropolitan center of the main city (Cagliari), and population decline were associated with greater risk of suicidal ideation or behavior. In addition, and as expected, alcohol or substance abuse, diagnosis of mood disorders, higher depression ratings at intake, being younger at illness-onset, family history of suicide or other psychiatric disorder, being female, unmarried, separated or divorced, currently smoking cigarettes, being unemployed, and having experienced sexual abuse all were more likely in subjects with suicidal ideation or behavior.

Suicidal ideation and behavior were associated with indicators of social isolation as well as with previously reported clinical and demographic risk factors.