Homicide and suicide in Swedish counties.

Table I. Suicide and homicide rates (per 100,000 per Sir, year) for 1975–1985 In a study of the 24 Swedish Län (counties), FerradaNoli (1997) divided them into quartiles based on Suicide rate Homicide rate their suicide rates and reported that the counties in the top quartile (with the highest suicide rates) were total male female total male female the poorest. However, Lester and Savlid (1997) conducted a more orthodox multivariate analysis over Stockholm 22.2 27.9 16.9 1.96 2.72 1.26 all 24 Län and found that population density and Uppsala 21.4 29.0 13.9 1.01 1.36 0.67 the percentage of babies born to single mothers were Sodermanland 19.3 27.5 11.2 1.33 1.73 0.94 the best predictors of the suicide rates, rather than Ostergotland 18.9 27.3 10.6 1.16 1.63 0.69 economic variables. Jonkoping 14.8 22.0 7.5 0.78 1.26 0.30 Kronoberg 15.2 22.0 8.3 0.58 0.62 0.53 The present analysis extends this research to homKalmar 18.0 28.0 7.9 1.02 1.42 0.61 icide rates. As before, homicide and suicide rates for Gotland 19.2 28.7 9.6 0.82 0.98 0.66 the 24 Län were calculated per 100,000 per year for Blekinge 17.9 25.1 10.6 0.65 0.82 0.48 the period 1975–1985 in order to provide reliable Kristianstad 18.8 27.7 9.9 0.78 0.71 0.85 estimates of these rates. Social variables were Malmohus 22.3 30.4 14.4 0.99 1.22 0.77 obtained for 1980. These rates are shown in Table I, Halland 19.4 27.5 11.2 0.63 0.62 0.64 and the variables used are indicated in Table II. Goteborg o. Bohus 17.2 23.4 11.1 1.48 2.17 0.81 A factor-analysis of the variables (using a principal Alvsborg 15.5 24.1 6.9 0.66 0.68 0.64 components extraction and a varimax rotation) idenSkaraborg 14.7 21.8 7.5 0.74 0.74 0.75 tified three orthogonal (independent) factors which Varmland 19.2 30.4 8.0 1.02 1.21 0.84 Orebro 18.7 27.9 9.7 1.36 1.74 0.99 are shown in Table II. Factor I appears to have the Vastmanland 16.8 23.8 9.6 1.40 1.87 0.92 highest loadings from income and population, Kopparberg 22.4 32.8 11.9 1.08 1.07 1.08 Factor II from stillborn births and illegitimate births, Gavleborg 18.7 27.5 9.7 0.99 1.05 0.93 and Factor III from the birth rate. Vasternorrland 17.8 25.7 9.8 0.88 0.74 1.02 Interestingly, homicide rates were highest in the Jamtland 22.9 35.3 10.0 1.08 1.06 1.10 wealthiest and most populous Län (Factor I ), Vasterbotten 15.4 23.0 7.6 0.67 0.81 0.53 whereas suicide rates were not associated with any Norrbotten 16.8 24.7 8.5 1.36 1.66 1.05 of the three factor scores. However, gender differences were observed. Male homicide rates and female behavior in women. Psychological autopsies on the suicide rates were higher in the wealthier and more suicides from the different Län in Sweden might populous Län (Factor I ) while female homicide rates identify different stressors for the male and female were higher in the Län with more stillborn and suicides which would confirm the present suggestion. illegitimate babies (Factor II ). The pattern for the simple Pearson correlations with the individual social variables confirmed these results (see Table II ). REFERENCES The results raise the interesting possibility that the 1. Ferrada-Noli M. Social psychological indicators associstress associated with wealth and population density ated with the suicide rate. Psychological Reports 1997; have differing effects on men and women. Perhaps 80: 315–22. the stress leads to more angry, assaultive and, in the 2. Lester D., Savlid AC. Social psychological indicators extreme, homicidal behavior in men, while leading associated with the suicide rate. Psychological Reports 1997; 80: 1065–6. to more depression and, in the extreme, suicidal