@article{ref1,
title="Geographic proximity is associated with transmission of suicidal behavior among siblings",
journal="Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica",
year="2019",
author="Edwards, Alexis C. and Ohlsson, Henrik and Moscicki, Eve K. and Sundquist, Jan and Sundquist, Kristina and Kendler, Kenneth S.",
volume="140",
number="1",
pages="30-38",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of &quot;contagion&quot;, or social transmission, in risk of suicidal behavior (SB) among siblings. <br><br>METHODS: We followed Swedish sibling pairs until one of them (S1; N=111,848) was registered for a suicide attempt or completion. We tested the effect of geographical proximity between siblings on risk of a first SB registration of S1's sibling (S2). To control for familial confounding, we conducted complementary analyses of sibling trios (N=701), comparing risk in different siblings as a function of their respective proximity to S1. <br><br>RESULTS: The best fitting model across sibling pairs included an effect of distance between siblings (HR=0.96, 95% CI=0.93-0.99). Hazard ratios declined quickly up to 25km and largely stabilized beyond 150km. Across all pairs, a larger age difference between siblings was associated with reduced SB risk (HR=0.96 95% CI=0.93-0.98). <br><br>FINDINGS were consistent within the sibling trios. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the concept of suicide contagion, risk of suicidal behavior subsequent to a sibling's suicide completion or attempt is higher as a function of sibling closeness. These findings are robust to potentially confounding familial factors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.<br><br>This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0001-690X",
doi="10.1111/acps.13040",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acps.13040"
}