Suicide among Immigrants in Sweden drastically increasing

Research report newly published in the Swedish Medical Journal (Läkartidningen):

In 2012 immigrant suicides increased in 10,3 percent, whereas suicides among native Swedes increased only 2,8 percent

Summary

A cross-cultural breakdown of the latest Swedish suicide statistics (2012), showed a markedly rising of fatalities among the immigrant population with regard to the previous year. The increasing observed was of 10,3 per cent for immigrants and 2,8 per cent for born in Sweden; and it was found significant in the male foreign-born group (x²= 8.7, p= 0.0031) as well among older immigrant female (x²= 17.5, p= 0.0001).  

The findings are discussed against the backdrop of the overrepresentations of foreign-born immigrants in the suicide statistics during the 80’s and 90’s, and the relatively decrease of such representation in recent years. Possible explanations of these phenomena are found in drastic changes in the demographic of Sweden in latest years, as well as in the reported vulnerability for suicidal behaviour among traumatized refugees with PTSD diagnoses and comorbidity of depression. The author suggests that “refugee-status” is included as a factor in the instruments for assessment of suicide risk.

Full article in Swedish: Ferrada de Noli M. - Självmord bland invandrare ökar - Läkartidningen

Published in Professorsblogg.com 9 Jan 2014