Citation

Cutlip AC, Bankston WB, Lee MR. Arch. Suicide Res. 2010; 14(3): 261-265.

Affiliation

Department of Social Behavioral Sciences, Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, North Carolina, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2010.494145

PMID

20658379

Abstract

This study analyzes whether rural White suicide rates are lower where civic participation is strong and where a strong social institutional structure exists. Negative binomial regression analyses of race/sex/age disaggregated suicide regressed on indices of civic community are conducted for a sample of more than 1400 nonmetropolitan counties. White male and female suicide rates are for the most part substantially lower in civically stronger communities. The pattern is evident for both younger and older age groups. Civically strong communities provide some insulation against structural sources of suicide, and public health officials should consider the civic infrastructure of communities when planning community level suicide intervention/prevention strategies.

Language: en