Qin Zhou1, Jie Zhang2,3, Dwight A Hennessy4. 1. School of Public Administration, University of International Business and Economics, Ningyuan Building, No. 10 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China. 2. Center for Suicide Prevention Research at Shandong University School of Public Health, Jinan, China. 3. Department of Sociology, State University of New York Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY, USA. 4. Department of Psychology, State University of New York Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: suicide is a major public health issue in China. However, research on the impact of absolute and relative economic stats on suicide is scarce among the Chinese population, particularly rural young adults. Using a case-control psychological autopsy study design, we aimed to investigate the effect of family absolute and relative income on suicide among Chinese rural young adults and to further explore the potential mediating mechanism under these associations. METHOD: the information of 393 suicide cases and 416 community living controls were collected for this study. A Binary Choice Model was used to analyze the association between family absolute and relative income and suicide risk, as well as potential mediating factors for these associations. RESULTS: a much stronger association was found between relative income and suicide than between absolute income and suicide. Social support was a dominant mediator for the association between family relative income and suicide among both female and male young adults. Coping strain emerged as a mediating factor within the link between absolute income and suicide for males. CONCLUSIONS: public health interventions to reduce suicide should pay more attention to relative income in addition to absolute income as potential targets for intervention, and how social support and coping strain act as mediating factors.
BACKGROUND: suicide is a major public health issue in China. However, research on the impact of absolute and relative economic stats on suicide is scarce among the Chinese population, particularly rural young adults. Using a case-control psychological autopsy study design, we aimed to investigate the effect of family absolute and relative income on suicide among Chinese rural young adults and to further explore the potential mediating mechanism under these associations. METHOD: the information of 393 suicide cases and 416 community living controls were collected for this study. A Binary Choice Model was used to analyze the association between family absolute and relative income and suicide risk, as well as potential mediating factors for these associations. RESULTS: a much stronger association was found between relative income and suicide than between absolute income and suicide. Social support was a dominant mediator for the association between family relative income and suicide among both female and male young adults. Coping strain emerged as a mediating factor within the link between absolute income and suicide for males. CONCLUSIONS: public health interventions to reduce suicide should pay more attention to relative income in addition to absolute income as potential targets for intervention, and how social support and coping strain act as mediating factors.