School of Public Health, Shandong University, China.
J Affect Disord. 2011 Mar;129(1-3):244-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2010.09.008. Epub 2010 Sep 28.
Suicide is the fifth most important cause of death in China and the leading cause of death among young adults aged 15-34 years. The suicide rate in rural China is three times higher than the urban suicide rate, and the rate in women is higher than in men.
Sixteen counties from three provinces were selected as sampling sites in which 392 suicide cases and 416 community living controls were obtained. For each suicide case and control there were two informants who provided the target person's information. A structured questionnaire including demographics, social and familial environments, and personal characteristics was administered to the informants.
Mental disorders and high hopelessness were found to be strongly related to suicide among Chinese rural young adults. Other suicide risk factors among this population were negative life events, never married but dating, suicide history in family, lack of positive coping skills, lack of social support, dysfunctional impulsivity, and not being a Communist Party/League member.
The prevalence of mental disorders, although the strongest risk factor among rural young adult suicides in this study, was markedly lower than that in Western countries. Some of the risk factors found in the comprehensive analyses are specific to Chinese culture. "Being a Communist Party/League member" as a protective factor for suicide among Chinese rural youths requires further study and appropriate interpretation.
自杀是中国第五大重要死因，也是 15-34 岁年轻人的主要死因。中国农村的自杀率是城市自杀率的三倍，女性自杀率高于男性。
从三个省份中选择了 16 个县作为抽样点，共获得了 392 例自杀案例和 416 例社区存活对照。每个自杀案例和对照都有两名知情者提供目标人的信息。向知情者发放了一份包括人口统计学、社会和家庭环境以及个人特征的结构化问卷。
精神障碍和高度绝望被发现与中国农村青年自杀密切相关。该人群的其他自杀风险因素包括负性生活事件、从未结婚但有约会、家庭中有自杀史、缺乏积极应对技能、社会支持不足、冲动功能障碍和不是共产党员/团员。
尽管在本研究中精神障碍是农村青年自杀的最强风险因素，但在农村青年自杀中的患病率明显低于西方国家。综合分析中发现的一些风险因素是中国文化特有的。“是共产党员/团员”作为中国农村青年自杀的保护因素，需要进一步研究和适当解释。
