Suicide among (Mexican) immigrants, and deportation

[MonDie]

Not only does suicide indicate a loss of life and life value, but it's probably economically relevant too. I've only had significant formal study of biological science, but I found the possibility interesting and decided to post some data here. I quickly gathered what information I could regarding the suicide rates of immigrants and also how family disruption (such as that due to deportations) might be conducive to suicide.

 

As it turns out, Mexican immigrants do have higher suicide rates.

 

Immigration and Suicidal Behavior Among Mexicans and Mexican Americans

As the tables show, there is no difference in suicide attempts between Mexicans of families without an immigration history and "labor immigrants" who visit temporarily nor "Mexican-born future immigrants" who haven't migrated yet. However the rates are higher for migrants and relatives of migrants. Note that suicide attempts is a more objective, behavioral measure that is probably less susceptible to reporting bias than "suicidal ideation" or "suicide plan".

Table 1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661474/table/tbl1/

Table 3: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661474/table/tbl3/

 

Here is more data showing that Mexican-born immigrants and un-documented immigrants in the US tend to hold occupations that are associated with higher suicide risk.

 

Figure: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/source_images_oldsite/mex_spotlight_graph2.gif

Source: Mexican Immigrants in the U.S. Labor Force (MigrationPolicy.org)

In summary:

Data is from 2000.

Farming forestry and fishing oocupations: Native (0.5%), Foreign born (2.0%), Foreign born from Mexico (6.5%)

Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations: Native (9.3%), Foreign born (10.4%), Foreign born from Mexico (18.9%)

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/majority-of-undocumented-immigrants-work-in-low-skill-jobs-report-finds/2015/03/26/dada9f2a-d3bc-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html?utm_term=.9dc941f0d75c

 

Nationwide, unauthorized immigrants are clustered in a few occupations, notably farming, fishing and forestry (26 percent of the workforce), building and grounds (17 percent), and construction and mining (14 percent). They comprise 24 percent of all groundskeepers, 23 percent of domestic workers and 20 percent of those in clothing manufacture.

 

 

Suicide Rates by Occupational Group - 17 States, 2012 (CDC report)

 

Analysis of 2012 National Violent Death Reporting System data from 17 states indicated that workers in the farming, fishing, and forestry occupational group had the highest rate of suicide (84.5 per 100,000), followed by workers in construction and extraction (53.3), and installation, maintenance, and repair (47.9). Among males, farming, fishing, and forestry also accounted for the highest rates of suicide (90.5 per 100,000), whereas the highest rate among females (14.1) was among workers in the protective service occupational group.

 

 

Regarding suicide and family disruption, I was able to find this free-to-read publication, which gives an overview of findings in its introduction.

Adult Suicide Mortality in the United States: Marital Status, Family Size, Socioeconomic Status, and Difference by Sex

 

Larger families and employment are associated with lower risks of suicide for both men and women. Low levels of education or being divorced or separated, widowed, or never married are associated with increased risks of suicide among men, but not among women.

 

[...]

 

Individual level analyses of marital status and suicide have relied largely on bivariate models, but have produced consistent findings that support higher suicide risk among divorced compared to married persons (for a review, see Stack, 2000b). Familial relationships may shape individuals’ risks of suicide for several reasons. Being married may reduce the risk of suicide because spouses can provide social support in stressful situations, inhibit risky behaviors such as drinking and drug use, and confer a sense of meaning and obligation (Umberson, 1992; Waite, 2006). Larger families—typically marked by the presence of numerous children and other adult relatives—might also be associated with reduced risks of suicide mortality if they provide integration across generations and offer greater opportunities for connection to the outside world (Berkman and Glass, 2000; Rogers, Hummer, and Nam, 2000). The opportunity to talk about problems or the sense of responsibility toward a spouse or other family members should lower individuals’ risks of suicide mortality.

Edited February 22, 2017 by MonDie