Rural-urban differences in reasons for living
- Authors: McLaren, Suzanne , Hopes, Lisa
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 36, no. 5 (2002), p. 688-692
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: The suicide rate in Australia is cause for concern, especially the increase in attempted and completed suicides in rural and regional locations. The present study examined reasons for choosing not to commit suicide as a function of residential location. Method: The study involved 655 Victorian residents from four population-based strata; urban, regional city, regional town, and rural. Results: Results from the Reasons for Living Inventory revealed significant differences as a function of residential location. Overall, residents in rural locations reported having significantly more to live for than their urban counterparts. Further analysis of six reasons for living (child, family, moral, social, coping and death-related concerns) showed a pattern whereby residents in rural locations reported having the most to live for, followed by regional residents, and urban residents who reported having the least to live for. Conclusions: These findings are in contrast to increase of suicide rates in rural areas, and highlight the need for a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying suicidal behaviour.
- Description: 2003000088
Relationships between body fatness, small-screen sedentary activity and regionality among schoolchildren in Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Aucote, Helen , Cooper, Andrew
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 17, no. 3 (2009), p. 141-146
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To examine the difference in body fatness and engagement in small-screen activities across children living in different degrees of regionality, and to examine the relationship between child body fatness and small-screen activities. Design: Cross-sectional study design. Participants: Grade 5-6 schoolchildren (n = 393) from central and metropolitan Victoria, and a parent/guardian of each child (n = 393). Main outcome measures: Parents completed a questionnaire on their child's engagement in television (TV) viewing and video game playing (VGP). Children's weight and height were measured by a researcher. Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) was calculated and adjusted for age and sex. Regionality (metropolitan, population > 100000; regional, 100000 > population < 20000; and rural, population < 10000) and socioeconomic status (socioeconomic indexes for areas: index of disadvantage) were assigned according to school attended. Results: BMI did not differ across regionality or sex. Boys engaged in more VGP than girls, and metropolitan children engaged in more VGP than rural and regional children. TV viewing did not differ across sex or regionality. VGP did not predict BMI, and TV viewing did not predict girls' BMI. Three to four per cent of the variance in boys' BMI was predicted by TV viewing. Conclusions: Boys and metropolitan children engage in more VGP. Boys', but not girls', BMI is related to TV viewing. Interventions designed to decrease engagement in TV viewing should be targeting boys. © 2009 The Author Journal compilation © 2009 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.