The Relationship Between Indicators of Social Disturbance and the Falling Suicide Rate in Sheffield, U.K.

A study examining the effect of changes in social, economic, & environmental factors in modifying the overall suicide rate was presented. Factors studied included quality & style of housing, proportion of high rise apartments & of single person dwellings, unemployment, particularly in the young, changes in the immigrant population, convictions for drunkenness, referrals to probation & social services, & other indicators of disturbed behaviour. These factors were compared with the suicide rates for different age & gender groups over a 12-year period to determine correlations.