Suicide Acceptability and Suicide Attempt: A Case-Control Study With Medically Serious Suicide Attempters Aged 15 to 54 Years in Rural China

In the past decades, many studies have discussed the topic of suicide acceptability. However, there is no empirical study which identified that suicide acceptability is associated with suicide attempt worldwide. In the present study participants were 791 medically serious suicide attempters and controls aged 15 to 54 years in rural China. Suicide acceptability was evaluated by four questions in the General Social Survey and some social psychological variables were collected in a face-to-face interview. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between suicide acceptability and suicide attempt. After controlling some social psychological variables, suicide acceptability was still associated with suicide attempt (odds ratio, 2.85; p < 0.001). Tired of living was the most acceptable reason for the medically serious suicide attempters (32.7%). Suicide acceptability should be assessed when we evaluate an individual's suicide risk. The results contribute to our understanding about suicide acceptability, and they may also be translated into practice in suicide prevention.