Demographic and socioeconomic correlates of suicide deaths and nonfatal self-injury related hospital visits: An analysis of counties in New York State

For many years, suicide rates in U.S. general and veteran populations have steadily increased, stimulating research into suicide and nonfatal self-injury (NFSI). However, little research has examined community correlates of suicide and NFSI. This study used county data from New York State to identify community correlates of veteran and general population suicide deaths and general population NFSI-related hospitalization. In bivariate analyses, both suicide and NFSI-related hospitalization were associated with measures of social disintegration (i.e., smaller population size, larger male and/or White population) and socioeconomic disadvantage (i.e., higher disability rates disability, lower household incomes, more limited-English speaking households). In regression analyses, general-population suicide was independently associated with higher disability and veteran-suicide rates, whereas NFSI-related hospitalization was independently associated with lower household income. Findings attest the importance of low-cost, accessible, outpatient services and highlight social disintegration and socioeconomic disadvantage as salient, community risk factors for suicide and NFSI.