Geographic proximity is associated with transmission of suicidal behaviour among siblings
(2019) In Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 140(1). p.30-38- Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of ‘contagion’, or social transmission, in risk of suicidal behaviour (SB) among siblings. Methods: We followed Swedish sibling pairs until one of them (S1; N = 111,848) was registered for a suicide attempt or completion. We tested the effect of geographic proximity between siblings on risk of a first SB registration of S1's sibling (S2). To control for familial confounding, we conducted complementary analyses of sibling trios (N = 701), comparing risk in different siblings as a function of their respective proximity to S1. Results: The best-fitting model across sibling pairs included an effect of distance between siblings (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93–0.99). Hazard ratios declined... (More)
Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of ‘contagion’, or social transmission, in risk of suicidal behaviour (SB) among siblings. Methods: We followed Swedish sibling pairs until one of them (S1; N = 111,848) was registered for a suicide attempt or completion. We tested the effect of geographic proximity between siblings on risk of a first SB registration of S1's sibling (S2). To control for familial confounding, we conducted complementary analyses of sibling trios (N = 701), comparing risk in different siblings as a function of their respective proximity to S1. Results: The best-fitting model across sibling pairs included an effect of distance between siblings (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93–0.99). Hazard ratios declined quickly up to 25 km and largely stabilized beyond 150 km. Across all pairs, a larger age difference between siblings was associated with reduced SB risk (HR = 0.96 95% CI = 0.93–0.98). Findings were consistent within the sibling trios. Conclusions: Consistent with the concept of suicide contagion, risk of suicidal behaviour subsequent to a sibling's suicide completion or attempt is higher as a function of sibling closeness. These findings are robust to potentially confounding familial factors.
(Less)
- author
- Edwards, A. C. LU ; Ohlsson, H. LU ; Mościcki, E. K. ; Sundquist, J. LU ; Sundquist, K. LU and Kendler, K. S. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2019
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- registries, siblings, suicide, suicide, attempted, Sweden
- in
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
- volume
- 140
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 9 pages
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85067415341
- pmid:31102549
- ISSN
- 0001-690X
- DOI
- 10.1111/acps.13040
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- a784a2b9-3af3-4c09-b758-307388afbcff
- date added to LUP
- 2019-07-03 13:40:23
- date last changed
- 2024-09-18 06:18:34
@article{a784a2b9-3af3-4c09-b758-307388afbcff, abstract = {{<p>Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of ‘contagion’, or social transmission, in risk of suicidal behaviour (SB) among siblings. Methods: We followed Swedish sibling pairs until one of them (S1; N = 111,848) was registered for a suicide attempt or completion. We tested the effect of geographic proximity between siblings on risk of a first SB registration of S1's sibling (S2). To control for familial confounding, we conducted complementary analyses of sibling trios (N = 701), comparing risk in different siblings as a function of their respective proximity to S1. Results: The best-fitting model across sibling pairs included an effect of distance between siblings (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93–0.99). Hazard ratios declined quickly up to 25 km and largely stabilized beyond 150 km. Across all pairs, a larger age difference between siblings was associated with reduced SB risk (HR = 0.96 95% CI = 0.93–0.98). Findings were consistent within the sibling trios. Conclusions: Consistent with the concept of suicide contagion, risk of suicidal behaviour subsequent to a sibling's suicide completion or attempt is higher as a function of sibling closeness. These findings are robust to potentially confounding familial factors.</p>}}, author = {{Edwards, A. C. and Ohlsson, H. and Mościcki, E. K. and Sundquist, J. and Sundquist, K. and Kendler, K. S.}}, issn = {{0001-690X}}, keywords = {{registries; siblings; suicide; suicide, attempted; Sweden}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{30--38}}, publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}}, series = {{Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica}}, title = {{Geographic proximity is associated with transmission of suicidal behaviour among siblings}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acps.13040}}, doi = {{10.1111/acps.13040}}, volume = {{140}}, year = {{2019}}, }