Risk Factors for Farmers' Suicides in Central Rural India: Matched Case–control Psychological Autopsy Study

BACKGROUND: Despite more than two decades since recognition of suicides by farmers in India, systematic studies comparing various risk factors are lacking. This is major hurdle for the formulation of strategies for farmers' suicide prevention. OBJECTIVE: To identify socioeconomic and psychological risk factors and their relative contribution in suicides by farmers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A matched case–control psychological autopsy was done on 98 farmers' suicide victims and 98 controls in Central India. RESULTS: Economic problems, psychiatric illness, and stressful life events were found to be important contributors to farmers' suicides. Important economic risk factors were procurement of debt, especially from multiple sources and for nonagricultural reasons and leasing out farms. Psychiatric illness was present significantly in higher proportion among cases than controls. Crop failure, interpersonal problems, medical illness, and marriage of female family member were significant stressful life events. CONCLUSIONS: There are socioeconomic and psychological risk factors for suicide by farmers which can be targets of prevention policy.