Intergenerational involvement in out-of-home care and death by suicide in Sweden: A population-based cohort study

Background: Individuals involved in out-of-home care are at higher risk of death by suicide. We aimed to determine whether parents with two generations of involvement in out-of-home care (themselves as children, and their own children) are at increased risk of death by suicide than parents with no involvement or parents with one generation of involvement in out-of-home care. Method: This population-based cohort study included all individuals born in Sweden between 1973 and 1980 who had at least one child between 1990 and 2012 (n = 487,948). Women (n = 259,275) and men (n = 228,673) were examined separately. Results: When compared with mothers with no involvement in out-of-home care, mothers with two generations of involvement were at more than five times greater risk of death by suicide (aHR = 5.52; 95% CI 2.91–10.46); mothers with one generation of involvement were also at significantly higher risk of death by suicide (mothers were in care as children: aHR = 2.35; 95% CI 1.27–4.35; child was placed in care: aHR = 3.23; 95% CI 1.79–5.83). Involvement in out-of-home care (in either generation) did not affect risk of death by suicide for fathers. Limitations: Reason for placement in out-of-home care is not known; these reasons could also be associated with risk of death by suicide Conclusion: Mothers with involvement in out-of-home care, either as children or when their child was placed in care, are at significantly higher risk of death by suicide. Mental health services should be provided to individuals involved in out-of-home care.