Social fragmentation is associated with high suicide risk

Social fragmentation is associated with high suicide risk

Mortality from most common diseases is higher in populations living in socioeconomically deprived areas. However, recent studiessuggest that suicide rates may be highest in socially fragmentedareas. Whitley et al (p 1034) explored this hypothesis using ecologicaldata in Great Britain. They found that suicide rates were raisedin areas with higher rates of private renting, single person households,unmarried people, and mobility in the past year. The associationbetween suicide and social fragmentation was greater than, andindependent of, that with deprivation. They suggest that any targetingof suicide prevention should be aimed at socially fragmented ratherthan deprivedareas.