Exposure to genocide and risk of suicide in Rwanda: a population-based case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Rwanda, an estimated one million people were killed during the 1994 genocide, leaving the country shattered and social fabric destroyed. Large-scale traumatic events such as wars and genocides have been linked to endemic post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicidality. The study objective was to investigate whether the 1994 genocide exposure is associated with suicide in Rwanda.

Methods

We conducted a population-based case-control study. Suicide victims were matched to three living controls for sex, age and residential location. Exposure was defined as being a genocide survivor, having suffered physical/sexual abuse in the genocide, losing a first-degree relative in the genocide, having been convicted for genocide crimes or having a first-degree rela

SUBMITTER: Rubanzana W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4316837 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature