An analysis of age-standardized suicide rates in Muslim-majority countries in 2000-2019

Lew, Bob and Lester, David and Kolves, Kairi and Yip, Paul S. F. and Chen, Ying-Yeh and Chen, Won Sun and Hasan, M. Tasdik and Koenig, Harold G. and Wang, Zhi Zhong and Fariduddin, Muhamad Nur and Zeyrek-Rios, Emek Yuce and Chan, Caryn Mei Hsien and Mustapha, Feisul and Fitriana, Mimi and Dolo, Housseini and Gonultas, Burak M. and Dadfar, Mahboubeh and Davoudi, Mojtaba and Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M. and Chan, Lai Fong and Siau, Ching Sin and Ibrahim, Norhayati (2022) An analysis of age-standardized suicide rates in Muslim-majority countries in 2000-2019. BMC Public Health, 22 (1). ISSN 1471-2458, DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13101-3.

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Background This study examines the 20-year trend of suicide in 46 Muslim-majority countries throughout the world and compares their suicide rates and trends with the global average. Ecological-level associations between the proportion of the Muslim population, the age-standardized suicide rates, male-to-female suicide rate ratio, and the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2019 were examined. Methods Age-standardized suicide rates were extracted from the WHO Global Health Estimates database for the period between 2000 and 2019. The rates in each country were compared with the age-standardized global average during the past 20 years. The countries were further grouped according to their regions/sub-regions to calculate the regional and sub-regional weighted age-standardized suicide rates involving Muslim-majority countries. Correlation analyses were conducted between the proportion of Muslims, age-standardized suicide rate, male: female suicide rate ratio, and the HDI in all countries. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the age-standardized suicide rates in 2000-2019. Results The 46 countries retained for analysis included an estimated 1.39 billion Muslims from a total worldwide Muslim population of 1.57 billion. Of these countries, eleven (23.9%) had an age-standardized suicide rate above the global average in 2019. In terms of regional/sub-regional suicide rates, Muslim-majority countries in the Sub-Saharan region recorded the highest weighted average age-standardized suicide rate of 10.02/100,000 population, and Southeastern Asia recorded the lowest rate (2.58/100,000 population). There were significant correlations between the Muslim population proportion and male-to-female rate ratios (r=-0.324, p=0.028), HDI index and age-standardized suicide rates (r=-0.506, p<0.001), and HDI index and male-to-female rate ratios (r=0.503, p<0.001) in 2019. Joinpoint analysis revealed that seven Muslim-majority countries (15.2%) recorded an increase in the average annual percentage change regarding age-standardized suicide rates during 2000-2019. Conclusions Most Muslim-majority countries had lower age-standardized suicide rates than the global average, which might reflect religious belief and practice or due to Muslim laws in their judicial and social structure which may lead to underreporting. This finding needs further in-depth country and region-specific study with regard to its implication for public policy.

Item Type: Article
Funders: Geran Galakan Penyelidik Muda [Grant No: GGPM-2021031], Skim Insentif Penerbitan Jurnal 2021, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia [Grant No: GP-2021-K023687 (02)]
Uncontrolled Keywords: Suicide rate; WHO Global Health Estimates; Islam; Joinpoint
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
R Medicine > RZ Other systems of medicine
Depositing User: Ms. Juhaida Abd Rahim
Date Deposited: 07 Oct 2023 02:50
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2023 02:50
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/42823

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item