Predictors of suicide and suicide attempt in subway stations: A population-based ecological study

Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Gernot Sonneck, Kanita Dervic, Ingo W. Nader, Martin Voracek, Nestor D. Kapusta, Elmar Etzersdorfer, Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz, Thomas Dorner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Suicidal behavior on the subway often involves young people and has a considerable impact on public life, but little is known about factors associated with suicides and suicide attempts in specific subway stations. Between 1979 and 2009, 185 suicides and 107 suicide attempts occurred on the subway in Vienna, Austria. Station-specific suicide and suicide attempt rates (defined as the frequency of suicidal incidents per time period) were modeled as the outcome variables in bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression models. Structural station characteristics (presence of a surveillance unit, train types used, and construction on street level versus other construction), contextual station characteristics (neighborhood to historical sites, size of the catchment area, and in operation during time period of extensive media reporting on subway suicides), and passenger-based characteristics (number of passengers getting on the trains per day, use as meeting point by drug users, and socioeconomic status of the population in the catchment area) were used as the explanatory variables. In the multivariate analyses, subway suicides increased when stations were served by the faster train type. Subway suicide attempts increased with the daily number of passengers getting on the trains andwith the stations' use asmeeting points by drug users. The findings indicate that there are some differences between subway suicides and suicide attempts. Completed suicides seem to vary most with train type used. Suicide attempts seem to depend mostly on passenger-based characteristics, specifically on the station's crowdedness and on its use as meeting point by drug users. Suicide-preventive interventions should concentrate on crowded stations and on stations frequented by risk groups.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)339-353
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Urban Health
Volume89
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Austria
  • Epidemiology
  • Poisson regression
  • Prevention
  • Risk factors
  • Subway
  • Suicide
  • Suicide attempt
  • Transportation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Urban Studies
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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