Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Suicidal behaviour on railways in the FRG

A Schmidtke1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.

Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|February 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Railway suicides in Germany (1976-84) were more common in younger males, peaking in autumn and on Mondays/Tuesdays. Incidents often occurred in the evening, with countryside attempts resulting in more severe injuries.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reasons for Attempted Suicide in Europe: Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Risk of Repetition.

Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research·2016
Same author

[Suicidal behavior: a psychiatric emergency situation, suicide prevention: a psychiatric obligation].

Der Nervenarzt·2015
Same author

How to adjust media recommendations on reporting suicidal behavior to new media developments.

Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research·2014
Same author

Media recommendations on reporting suicidal behaviour and suggestions for optimisation.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2013
Same author

[Transcranial magnetic stimulation for comorbid depression in anorexia].

Der Nervenarzt·2008
Same author

The factorial structure of the Suicide Intent Scale: a comparative study in clinical samples from 11 European regions.

International journal of methods in psychiatric research·2008

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Science
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Suicide is a significant public health concern.
  • Railway environments present a unique and often fatal method for suicide attempts.
  • Understanding temporal and demographic patterns of railway suicides is crucial for targeted prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the temporal (seasonal, daily, time of day) and demographic (age, sex) patterns of suicides and attempted suicides on railways in the Federal Republic of Germany between 1976 and 1984.
  • To compare these patterns with other suicide methods.
  • To investigate the relationship between the location of the attempt and the severity of injuries.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of suicide and attempted suicide data on railways in the Federal Republic of Germany from 1976-1984.
  • Statistical comparison of seasonal and daily distributions, including time of day, across different age and sex groups.
  • Correlation analysis between the location of the suicide attempt (countryside vs. stations) and injury severity.

Main Results:

  • A total of 6090 suicides and 391 attempted suicides occurred on railways during the study period.
  • The male-to-female ratio was 2.54:1.
  • Railway suicide incidence was higher in younger age groups.
  • A seasonal peak for males was observed in autumn.
  • Males showed a higher incidence of railway suicides on Mondays and Tuesdays, a peak less pronounced in females.
  • Most incidents occurred in the evening hours.
  • Suicide attempts on rural railway tracks resulted in more severe injuries compared to those near main stations.

Conclusions:

  • Railway suicides exhibit distinct demographic and temporal patterns, with males, younger individuals, and specific days/seasons showing higher risks.
  • The location of the suicide attempt influences injury severity, suggesting environmental factors play a role.
  • Findings underscore the need for tailored suicide prevention measures focusing on high-risk groups and locations within railway environments.

Related Experiment Videos