Depending on the order of birth, siblings are not at the same risk of suicide. More cadets are trying to end their own life, according to a study.
Siblings are more at risk of suicide. This is what a study recently published in theAmerican Journal of Epidemiology. 20% of suicide attempts could be influenced by the order of birth as well as the mother’s age at the time of childbirth.
The study was conducted in Sweden between 1931 and 1980, with deaths recorded between 1981 and 2002. The researchers observed that with each higher rank in the order of birth, the risk of suicide in adulthood increased by. 18%. The observation also applies to accidental deaths, and always applies when other risk factors are taken into account (age differences, number of siblings, marital or socioeconomic status).
This is not the first time that such conclusions have been made. Already in 2013, a large cohort study conducted in Norway showed that with each additional rank in the order of birth, the risk of suicide increased by 46%.
It is difficult to explain why cadets and youngest children are more at risk of suicide or accident. Researchers assume they are at greater risk for impulsiveness or risk-taking. They also suggest that a greater distance from the mother could be responsible. Still, this data must be taken into account in monitoring mental health, say the researchers.
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