Year: 2009 Source: American Journal of Public Health, v.99, no.4, (April 2009), p.728-733 SIEC No: 20100435

Migration to the United States was examined as a risk factor for suicidal behaviour among people of Mexican origin. Data was pooled from 2 nationally representative surveys in the United States & Mexico. Discrete time survival models were used to account for time-varying & time-invariant characteristics, including psychiatric disorders. Risk for suicide ideation was higher among Mexicans with a family member in the United States, Mexican-born immigrants who arrived in the United States at 12 or younger, & American-born Mexican-Americans than among Mexicans with neither a history of migration to the United States nor a family member currently living there. Risk for suicide attempts was also higher among Mexicans with a family member in the United States and American-born Mexican Americans. (40 refs.) JA