Aug 16 2003
A recent study has found that twins have a lower risk of suicide than the general population. The researchers in Denmark identified 21,653 same sex twins born from 1870 to 1930. They then established the date and cause of their deaths from 1943 to 1993. They compared suicide rates with the general population.
Twins of both sexes had a substantially lower suicide rate than the general population. The authors suggest that the study supports that view that strong family ties reduce the risk for suicidal behavior.
The strongest risk factor for suicide is mental illness, and other studies have found mental illness to be slightly more common among twins than among non-twins. The authors were expecting to find a higher suicide rate in twins. This contrast seems to be what let them to interpret the study as supporting the importance of strong family ties.
Reference: Risk of suicide in twins: 51 year follow up study British Medical Journal Volume 327, pp 373-4
Last edited 11/15/05
