SUICIDE in RURAL & REMOTE AREAS of AUSTRALIA - Living is for ...

Suicide in rural and remote areas of Australia 51
History of suicidal behaviour and
mental health
Previous suicide attempt(s) came out as a signifi cant
suicide predictor in both urban and rural regions
(Table 12). Comparisons between rural and urban
suicide cases showed that, while this was more
frequent in rural (60%) than in urban cases (49.3%),
it was not signifi cant. A suicide in the family and/or
friends was signifi cant in urban areas but, despite
considerable differences between suicide (46.9%)
and sudden-death control (26.9%) groups, did not
reach signifi cance in rural areas probably due to the
limited sample size. In both urban and rural areas,
being interested in something regarding suicide
in the media, stockpiling pills, making statements
of hopelessness, and saying or doing something
else to indicate the presence of suicidality were all
signifi cant predictors for suicide. However, these
factors were not signifi cantly different between rural
and urban suicide cases.
signifi cant in urban areas (Table 13). Substance
abuse disorders were similarly high in suicide and
sudden-death control groups in rural areas (38% in
suicide cases and 30.8% in sudden deaths).
Having at least one psychiatric disorder at the time
of death (as determined by the SCID-I) was an
important risk factor for suicide compared to sudden
death in both regions. However, the risk was higher
in rural areas in terms of odds ratios (OR; Table 13).
Consequently, compared to the urban suicide cases
(70%), there was a signifi cantly higher prevalence of
psychiatric diagnoses in rural suicide cases (84%)
(χ²=3.77, df=1, p=0.05). In rural and urban regions,
mood (54% in rural and 51.3% in urban suicide
cases), anxiety (40% in rural and 20% in urban suicide
cases, a statistically signifi cant difference: χ²=8.00,
df=1, p=0.005) and substance abuse disorders
(38% in rural and 26.7% in urban suicide cases)
were most prevalent. Mood and anxiety disorders
were signifi cant predictors of suicide in both areas;
however, substance abuse disorders were only
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