Caudillo's study examines the link between community violence and suicide
New research led by Faculty Associate Monica Caudillo finds a significant association between exposure to community violence and suicide. Published in Population and Development Review, the study draws on data from nearly 2,500 Mexican municaplities and links more than 2,100 suicides during the first 14 years of Mexico's drug war to prior exposure beyond local violence. The findings suggest that violent events may contribute to suicide risk beyond shared factors such as poverty or firearm access. "A lot of people experience suicide ideation, but very few actually commit suicide, and there has been very little understanding of that bridge", Caudillo said. "These findings might help explain what can push some people over the edge."
Caudillo notes that uncertainty following violent events may be an important mechanism underlying the association. "When gruesome and terrifying events happen and you don't know when the cavalry will come, when there's no guarantee it will never happen again, that's a particular type of hopelessness," she said. Although the study's findings are based on Mexican data and cannot be directly generalized to the United States, Caudillo says they highlight the need to support communities following mass-casualty events and to pay particular attention to people already experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Published on Thu, 10/08/2026 - 09:53