Suicide Clusters

Robinson, Jo; Pirkis, Jane; O’Connor, Rory C.

doi:10.1002/9781118903223.ch43

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A space-time suicide cluster can be defined as multiple suicides that occur closer to each other in time and space than would be expected based on the expectation of the community or statistical chance (Robinson et al, 2016a). One single suicide cluster could have a tremendous impact on the community and lead to serious concerns of imitation, i.e., further occurrences of suicide (Heffel et al, 2015;Robinson et al, 2016aRobinson et al, , 2016b.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Space–time self-harm and suicide clusters in two cities in Taiwan

Conway

Liang

et al. 2023

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims Suicidal acts may cluster in time and space and lead to community concerns about further imitative suicidal episodes. Although suicide clusters have been researched in previous studies, less is known about the clustering of non-fatal suicidal behaviour (self-harm). Furthermore, most previous studies used crude temporal and spatial information, e.g., numbers aggregated by month and residence area, for cluster detection analysis. This study aimed to (i) identify space–time clusters of self-harm and suicide using daily incidence data and exact address and (ii) investigate the characteristics of cluster-related suicidal acts. Methods Data on emergency department presentations for self-harm and suicide deaths in Taipei City and New Taipei City, Taiwan, were used in this study. In all-age and age-specific analyses, self-harm and suicide clusters were identified using space–time permutation scan statistics. A cut-off of 0.10 for the p value was used to identify possible clusters. Logistic regression was used to investigate the characteristics associated with cluster-related episodes. Results A total of 5,291 self-harm episodes and 1,406 suicides in Taipei City (2004–2006) and 20,531 self-harm episodes and 2,329 suicides in New Taipei City (2012–2016) were included in the analysis. In the two cities, two self-harm clusters (n [number of self-harm episodes or suicide deaths in the cluster] = 4 and 8 in Taipei City), four suicide clusters (n = 3 in Taipei City and n = 4, 11 and 4 in New Taipei City) and two self-harm and suicide combined clusters (n = 4 in Taipei City and n = 8 in New Taipei City) were identified. Space–time clusters of self-harm, suicide, and self-harm and suicide combined accounted for 0.05%, 0.59%, and 0.08% of the respective groups of suicidal acts. Cluster-related episodes of self-harm and suicide were more likely to be male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26, 3.89) and young people aged 10–29 years (aOR = 2.72, 95% CI 1.43, 5.21) than their cluster-unrelated counterparts. Conclusions Space–time clusters of self-harm, suicide, and self-harm and suicide combined accounted for a relatively small proportion of suicidal acts and were associated with some sex/age characteristics. Focusing on suicide deaths alone may underestimate the size of some clusters and/or lead to some clusters being overlooked. Future research could consider combining self-harm and suicide data and use social connection information to investigate possible clusters of suicidal acts.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Space–time self-harm and suicide clusters in two cities in Taiwan

Conway

Liang

et al. 2023

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The impact of suicidal behaviour on the suicidal behaviour of other individuals in spatial–temporal proximity has received ample attention in sociological and psychological suicide research (Durkheim, 1951; Niederkrotenthaler et al, 2012; Phillips, 1974; Phillips & Carstensen, 1986; Robinson et al, 2016, Tarde, 1903). In the past, the clustering of suicides (Durkheim, 1951; Tarde, 1903), the Werther (Phillips, 1974; Phillips & Carstensen, 1986) and Papageno effects (Niederkrotenthaler et al, 2012), have been examined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the past, the clustering of suicides (Durkheim, 1951; Tarde, 1903), the Werther (Phillips, 1974; Phillips & Carstensen, 1986) and Papageno effects (Niederkrotenthaler et al, 2012), have been examined. Personal relationships between suicidal individuals have only recently been examined more specifically (Robinson et al, 2016). Recent studies have focused on how experiencing suicidal behaviour in the personal social environment (e.g., within the family) might affect an individual's own suicidal behaviour.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicidal behaviour in the social environment: Does exposure moderate the relationship between an individual's own suicidal ideation and behaviour?

Roland

Höller

Forkmann

et al. 2022

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Suicidal behaviour still cannot be sufficiently predicted. Exposure to suicidal behaviour in the personal social environment is assumed to moderate the individual's transition from suicidal ideation to suicidal behaviour within the integrated motivational–volitional model of suicidal behaviour (IMV model). This study aimed to investigate this moderating effect in a German high‐risk sample. Methods We interviewed 308 psychiatric inpatients (53% female) aged 18 to 81 years (M = 36.9, SD = 14.30) admitted after attempted suicide (53%) or due to an acute suicidal crisis (47%) regarding exposure events in their social environment. Four types of exposure events were analysed using moderation analyses: familial suicides/suicide attempts and non‐familial suicides/suicide attempts. Additionally, the numbers of reported exposure events were compared between patients with and without a recent suicide attempt as well as between patients with lifetime suicide attempts and lifetime suicidal ideation. Results Neither moderating effects of exposure events on the relationship between lifetime suicidal ideation and recent suicidal behaviour nor group differences between suicidal ideators and suicide attempters regarding the exposure events were found. Conclusions Exposure events might have differential and possibly protective effects on suicidal behaviour—depending on type and quality (intensity, personal relevance and recency) of event—and on the outcome (suicide vs. suicide attempt).

show abstract

“…Sometimes suicides occur in clusters. “Suicide clusters” have traditionally been defined as “groups of suicides that occur closer together in time and space than would normally be expected on the basis of either statistical prediction or community expectation” [ 4 , 5 ]. An estimated 3% of suicides in Australia occur in clusters; 6% of suicides by young people and 2% of those by adults [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Pilot Case-Control Study of the Social Media Activity Following Cluster and Non-Cluster Suicides in Australia

Law

Too

Hill

et al. 2021

IJERPH

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Social media may play a role in the “contagion” mechanism thought to underpin suicide clusters. Our pilot case-control study presented a novel methodological approach to examining whether Facebook activity following cluster and non-cluster suicides differed. We used a scan statistic to identify suicide cluster cases occurring in spatiotemporal clusters and matched each case to 10 non-cluster control suicides. We identified the Facebook accounts of 3/48 cluster cases and 20/480 non-cluster controls and their respective friends-lists and retrieved 48 posthumous posts and replies (text segments) referring to the deceased for the former and 606 for the latter. We examined text segments for “putatively harmful” and “putatively protective” content (e.g., discussion of the suicide method vs. messages discouraging suicidal acts). We also used concept mapping, word-emotion association, and sentiment analysis and gauged user reactions to posts using the reactions-to-posts ratio. We found no “putatively harmful” or “putatively protective” content following any suicides. However, “family” and “son” concepts were more common for cluster cases and “xx”, “sorry” and “loss” concepts were more common for non-cluster controls, and there were twice as many surprise- and disgust-associated words for cluster cases. Posts pertaining to non-cluster controls were four times as receptive as those about cluster cases. We hope that the approach we have presented may help to guide future research to explain suicide clusters and social-media contagion.

show abstract

Suicide Clusters

Cited by 10 publications

References 54 publications

Space–time self-harm and suicide clusters in two cities in Taiwan

Space–time self-harm and suicide clusters in two cities in Taiwan

Suicidal behaviour in the social environment: Does exposure moderate the relationship between an individual's own suicidal ideation and behaviour?

A Pilot Case-Control Study of the Social Media Activity Following Cluster and Non-Cluster Suicides in Australia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About