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Geographic proximity is associated with transmission of suicidal behaviour among siblings

Edwards, A. C. LU ; Ohlsson, H. LU ; Mościcki, E. K. ; Sundquist, J. LU ; Sundquist, K. LU and Kendler, K. S. LU (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.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
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
  • pmid:31102549
  • scopus:85067415341
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
2024-01-16 06:15:02
@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}},
}