Sociodemographic and psychosocial risk factors of railway suicide: a mixed-methods study combining data of all suicide decedents in the Netherlands with data from a psychosocial autopsy study

Balt, Elias; Mérelle, Saskia; Popma, Arne; Creemers, Daan; Heesen, Karlijn; van Eijk, Nikki; van den Brand, Isa; Gilissen, Renske

doi:10.1186/s12889-024-18120-w

Table 1 Characteristics of railway suicide victims compared to other methods

From: Sociodemographic and psychosocial risk factors of railway suicide: a mixed-methods study combining data of all suicide decedents in the Netherlands with data from a psychosocial autopsy study

		Total suicides (N = 9241)		Railway suicides (N = 986)		Other suicides (N = 8255)
		N	%^a	N	%^a	N	%^a	^b
Sex
	Male	6235	67.5	686	69.6	5549	67.2
	Female	3006	32.5	300	30.4	2706	32.8
Age
	10–19 years old	316	3.4	82	8.3	234	2.8	***
	20–29 years old	1054	11.4	222	22.5	832	10.1
	30–39 years old	1166	12.6	133	13.5	1033	12.5
	40–49 years old	1521	16.5	169	17.1	1352	16.4
	50–59 years old	2145	23.2	203	20.6	1942	23.5
	60–69 years old	1532	16.6	109	11.1	1423	17.2
	70 + years old	1507	16.3	68	6.9	1439	17.4
Etnicity
	Dutch	7524	81.4	822	83.4	6702	81.2
	Migration background	1717	18.6	164	16.6	1553	18.8
Education level
	Low	1766	19.1	224	22.7	1542	18.7	***
	Middle	2255	24.4	283	28.7	1972	23.9
	High	1332	14.4	174	17.6	1158	14.0
	Unknown	3888	42.1	305	30.9	3583	43.4
Marital status
	Single	4205	45.5	587	59.5	3618	43.8	***
	Married	2604	28.2	250	25.4	2354	28.5
	Divorced	1668	18.0	115	11.7	1553	18.8
	Widowed	764	8.3	34	3.4	730	8.8
Household position
	Child	769	8.3	177	18.0	592	7.2	***
	Couple no children	1963	21.2	171	17.3	1792	21.7
	Couple with children	1222	13.2	157	15.9	1065	12.9
	Single no children	4561	49.4	381	38.6	4180	50.6
	Single with children	307	3.3	33	3.3	274	3.3
	Other	419	4.5	67	6.8	352	4.3
Benefits (welfare, unfit for work, or social)
	Yes	3230	35.0	323	32.8	2907	35.2
	No	6011	65.0	663	67.2	5348	64.8
Residential area^c		n = 9100		n = 971		n = 8129
	Urban	3867	42.5	341	35.1	3526	43.4	***
	Rural	5233	57.5	630	64.9	4603	56.6
Household income^c		n = 7171		n = 784		n = 6387
	< 30.000	2490	34.7	257	32.8	2233	35.0	***
	30.000–50.000	1584	22.1	125	15.9	1459	22.8
	50.000-100.000	1921	26.8	215	27.4	1706	26.7
	100.000-150.000	782	10.9	115	14.7	667	10.4
	> 150,000	394	5.5	72	9.2	322	5.0
Healthcare use GP in 1 to 2 calendar years before suicide^c		n = 5457		n = 601		n = 4856
	Yes	3453	63.3	351	58.4	3102	63.9	**
	No	2004	36.7	250	41.6	1754	36.1
Healthcare use specialized in 1 to 2 calendar years before suicide^c		n = 5459		n = 601		n = 4858
	Yes	2007	36.8	240	39.9	1767	36.4
	No	3452	63.2	361	60.1	3091	63.6

a. Due to rounding off, percentages may not add up to exactly 100%
b. Chi-squared test for group differences, *p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001
c. For these determinants, data was not available for the years 2020 and/or 2021

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ISSN: 1471-2458

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