Predictors of using trains as a suicide method: Findings from Victoria, Australia

Lay San Too; Lyndal Bugeja; Allison Milner; Roderick McClure; Matthew J Spittal

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.03.057

Predictors of using trains as a suicide method: Findings from Victoria, Australia

Psychiatry Res. 2017 Jul:253:233-239. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.03.057. Epub 2017 Apr 4.

Authors

Lay San Too¹, Lyndal Bugeja², Allison Milner³, Roderick McClure⁴, Matthew J Spittal⁵

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: tiffany.too@unimelb.edu.au.
² Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
³ Deakin Population Health SRC, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Massachusetts, United States.
⁵ Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

PMID: 28395228
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.03.057

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with the choice of trains over other means of suicide. We performed a case-control study using data on all suicides in Victoria, Australia between 2009 and 2012. Cases were those who died by rail suicide and controls were those who died by suicide by any other means. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between the choice of trains and a range of individual-level and neighbourhood-level factors. Individuals who were never married had double odds of using trains compared to individuals who were married. Those from areas with a higher proportion of people who travel to work by train also had greater odds of dying by railway suicide compared to those from areas with a relatively lower proportion of people who travel to work by train. Prevention efforts should consider limiting access to the railways and other evidence-based suicide prevention activities.

Keywords: Australia; Railroads; Railway; Suicide.

MeSH terms

Adult
Case-Control Studies
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Marital Status
Railroads*
Residence Characteristics
Suicide / psychology*
Victoria