The Relationship Between General Population Suicide Rates and the Internet: a Cross-National Study

The relationship between general population suicide rates & the prevalence of Internet users was examined in a cross-national study using data from the World Health Organization & the United Nations websites. The prevalence of Internet users was significantly & positively correlated with general population suicide rates in both genders. On multiple regression analysis the prevalence of Internet users was independently associated with general population suicide rates in males, & this independent relationship in females approached statistical significance. Caution should be exercised in the attribution of a causal relationship & the direction of this relationship because of the cross-sectional & ecological study design whereby the findings are subject to ecological fallacy. (19 refs.) JA