Frequent Change of Residence and Risk of Attempted and Completed Suicide Among Children and Adolescents

This study evaluated the influence of frequent change of residence on attempted & completed suicide among children & adolescents. Data from Danish longitudinal population registries identified 4160 suicide attempts among children born from 1978-1995 & 79 suicides at ages 11-17 years. A significantly increased risk of attempted suicide was associated with changes of residence & there was an apparent dose-response trend for this association. This trend remained after controlling for possible confounding factors at birth. It was somewhat attenuated, but still significant, after controlling for the child’s own psychiatric morbidity, parental loss, & parental psychiatric history. Further analysis demonstrated a similar association between change of residence & completed suicide. (21 refs.) JA