The effects of interstate migration on suicide

Previous research on the impact of migration on suicide has focused on a few case studies of how the culture shock of international migration is associated with suicide. The present study investigates the relationship between a more limited form of culture shock, interstate migration, on the rate of suicide in the 50 American states. The rate of interstate migration was found to influence the rate of suicide independent of the control variables including income level. A one percent increase in interstate migration was associated with an 0.27 percent increase in the rate of suicide. Percent black population, an indicator of differential socialization theory, was found to influence the suicide rate independent of its association with low income and migration.