Acculturation and suicide: a case-control psychological autopsy study.

BACKGROUND

The relationships between acculturation and suicide were investigated in East Taiwan.

METHODS

Psychological autopsy interviews were conducted for consecutive suicides from two native Taiwanese groups (Atayal and Ami) (N = 30 for each group); each of them was matched with two controls for age, sex and area of residence. The Taiwan Aboriginal Acculturation Scale was used to measure the extent of acculturation.

RESULTS

A lower degree of social assimilation was significantly associated with a higher risk of suicide in the Atayal and the male groups. In multivariable regression analysis, a significant effect of low social assimilation on the risk of suicide was found in Atayal and in men, even after controlling for the effects of ICD-10 depressive episode and emotionally unstable personality disorder. Meanwhile, there was a significant trend across low, moderate and high social assimilation on suicide risk in Atayal and in men.

CONCLUSIONS

For the native Taiwanese, the stress from rapid acculturation into the main Chinese society is crucial to their mental health. It might be reduced through targeted social and educational programmes.