A review of Suicide Behavior Among Arab Adolescents

Morad, Mohammed; Merrick, Efrat; Schwarz, Amir; Merrick, Joav

doi:10.1100/tsw.2005.84

Cited by 20 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…This matter is currently under review at the University of the West Indies Psychiatry Unit at Mt. Hope in Trinidad, and we hope this publication and others [18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31] in this journal will be helpful in the decision-making process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The Theory and Practice of Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry in Trinidad and Tobago with Reference to Suicidal Behavior

Maharajh

Abdool

Mohammed-Emamdee

2008

The Scientific World JOURNAL

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Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (CL Psychiatry) is not a well-established discipline in developing countries. It is a multifaceted area that incorporates clinical, teaching, and research activities both within the hospital and extramurally in community health services. Our purpose was first to define the role of CL Psychiatry, to review essential steps in the process, and to advise on how to set up services. Second, a 1-year retrospective analysis was conducted on all patients referred. A total of 708 persons were referred for psychiatric consultation, of which 41% (291) were referred because of suicidal behavior. Sixty-six percent were female and there was an over-representation of Indo-Trinidadians (67%). Twenty-six percent of all cases of suicidal behavior were diagnosed with clinical depression, 3% were suffering from a psychotic illness (schizophrenia), and 8% (24/291) were under the influence of alcohol. The most vulnerable group was the 25- to 35-year-old age group, accounting for 27% (78/291) of attempters, with the largest number of female attempters. The 36- to 55-year-old males were most likely to attempt suicide (35/99). Ingestion of a toxic substance was the most popular method among all races, genders, and age groups. Of all referrals, 95% originated from medical wards. The most common reason cited for attempts was depressed mood, secondary to a domestic dispute with a family member or significant other. Among Caribbean countries, Trinidad and Tobago has high rates of suicide and suicidal behavior, depression, and alcoholism. CL psychiatrists have a major role to play in the delivery of services to these groups, facilitating the transition of care from admission in the emergency room to discharge and follow-up in the community.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The Theory and Practice of Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry in Trinidad and Tobago with Reference to Suicidal Behavior

Maharajh

Abdool

Mohammed-Emamdee

2008

The Scientific World JOURNAL

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“…Military service, which in many ways is a ''social ticket'' into Israeli society, is mandatory for Druze men, and voluntary for other Arab groups [22]. Military service may increase the suicide rate by escalating stress levels, as has been noted among the Jewish Israelis of army age [23], as well as providing accessibility to firearms [24]. Young male Druze who serve in the army may experience identity conflict, since on the one hand they are required to risk their lives for their country, but on the other, may continue to experience discrimination on the basis of their belonging to a minority group [25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Completed suicide and suicide attempts in the Arab population in Israel

Klomek

Nakash

Goldberger

et al. 2016

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol

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Completed suicide and suicide attempts among four Arab groups defined by religious affiliation in Israel: Bedouins, Muslims (other than Bedouin), Christians and Druze were investigated using national databases of suicide (1999-2011), and suicide attempts (2004-2012). Age specific and age-adjusted rates and ratio of suicides to suicidal behavior were calculated, and compared with the total Israeli population rates. Age-adjusted suicide rates were lowest among the non-Bedouin Muslims, 2.5, followed in ascending order by Bedouins, 3.2, and Christian Arabs, 3.3 per 100,000 population, respectively. The highest rate was found among the Druze, 8.7, per 100,000 population, particularly for young males. The rates among the Arab groups were lower than for the total Israeli population, 7.9 per 100,000 population, except for the Druze. The pattern of suicide rates by gender, higher for males than females, was similar in all groups. The rates among the Arab Israelis were highest for the 15-24 year old age group, while in the total population the rates increased with age. Age-adjusted suicide attempt rates were higher amongst non-Bedouin Muslims, 84.8 per 100,000 population, followed by the Bedouin, 72.4; Druze. 64.9; and lowest among Christian Arabs, 58.6, all per 100,000 population. In the total Israeli population, the rate was even higher, 89.8 per 100,000 population. Suicide attempt rates were higher for women in all groups, except among the Druze. Rates were higher in most groups for ages 15-24. In this age group, the rates for female Muslims and Bedouins and for male Druze were higher than among the total population. Arab elderly had low rates of both suicide and suicide attempts. The ratio of suicides to suicide attempts increased with age for all groups, except for the Christian Arabs. It was markedly higher for the Druze, compared to 7.3 % for the total population for ages 15 and over. Findings highlight the importance of investigating the differential distribution of suicidal behavior by specific ethno-religious groups.

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“…The religious warnings and threats of eternal punishment by the same method used to take one's own life are one of many ways of stabilising the thought processes and hence the process of decision making. The literature provides evidence that religion may have a positive effect on well-being and a negative effect on suicide rates [56,57,58,59] and that spiritualism should not be ignored from treatment [57,60]. Again, it is difficult to ascertain the net effect of an individual's religious beliefs on decision process outcomes in the presence of other social, education, economic, and environmental processes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Again, it is difficult to ascertain the net effect of an individual's religious beliefs on decision process outcomes in the presence of other social, education, economic, and environmental processes. However, in terms of suicide, a comparison of various cultures suggests that Muslim countries and certain cultures that may have built-in protective factors appear to have the lowest suicide rates [58,59].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide Research and Adolescent Suicide Trends in New Zealand

Shahtahmasebi¹

2008

The Scientific World JOURNAL

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In recent years, there have been a number of claims and counterclaims from suicide research using time series and longitudinal data; in particular, the linkage of increased antidepressant prescriptions to a decrease in suicide rates. Suicide time series appear to have a memory compounded with seasonal and cyclic effects. Failure to take into account these properties may lead to misleading conclusions, e.g., a downward blip is interpreted as the result of current knowledge and public health policies, while an upward blip is explained as suicide being complex depending on many variables requiring further research. In previous publications, I argued that this misuse of time series data is the result of an uncritical acceptance of a medical model that links mental ill-health to suicide. The consequences of such research behaviour are further increases in antidepressant prescriptions and medications to those who should not be prescribed them, with adverse effects showing across the population, e.g., the prescription of antidepressants to very young children (some under 1 year of age) in New Zealand. Moreover, the New Zealand Evidence-based Health Care Bulletin recommends an authoritarian approach for every interaction with a young person to check their psychosocial well-being. When viewed holistically, this kind of human behaviour makes researchers, policy makers (politicians), treatment, and practitioners, and society in general part of the problem rather than the solution. This paper explores some dynamic aspects of suicide, using only official data with particular reference to youth suicide, and suggests that the medical model of suicide is only an attempt to treat depression without addressing suicide, and recommends the creation of a unified database through understanding the society that individuals live in. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate debate and the collaboration of international experts regardless of their school of thought.

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A review of Suicide Behavior Among Arab Adolescents

Cited by 20 publications

References 10 publications

The Theory and Practice of Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry in Trinidad and Tobago with Reference to Suicidal Behavior

The Theory and Practice of Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry in Trinidad and Tobago with Reference to Suicidal Behavior

Completed suicide and suicide attempts in the Arab population in Israel

Suicide Research and Adolescent Suicide Trends in New Zealand

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