![]() The four cultural factors – power-distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity – were measured for 66 countries using data from the World Health Organization. In 2003, a group of sociologists examined the gender and suicide gap by considering how cultural factors impacted suicide rates. At the same time, stigma attached to infertility or having children outside of marriage can contribute to higher rates of suicide among women. In regions where the identity of females is constructed around the family, having young children may correlate with lower risks for suicide. One theory put forward for the smaller gap is the increased burden of motherhood due to cultural norms. The gender gap is less stark in developing nations. Males' vulnerability may be heightened during times of unemployment because of societal expectations that they should provide for themselves and their families. Another factor closely tied to gender roles is male employment status. In the Western world, females are more likely to maintain social and familial connections that they can turn to for support after losing their spouse. For example, the death of a spouse and divorce are risk factors for suicide in both genders, but the effect is somewhat mitigated for females. Part of the gap may be explained by heightened levels of stress that result from traditional gender roles. Various other factors have been put forward as the cause of the gender paradox. Reinforcement of this gender role often prevents males from seeking help for suicidal feelings and depression. Male gender roles tend to emphasize greater levels of strength, independence, risk-taking behavior, economic status, and individualism. According to literature on gender and suicide, male suicide rates are explained in terms of traditional gender roles. Many researchers have attempted to find explanations for why gender is such a significant indicator for suicide.Ī common explanation relies on the social constructions of hegemonic masculinity and femininity. The organization states that "given the sensitivity of suicide – and the illegality of suicidal behaviour in some countries – it is likely that under-reporting and misclassification are greater problems for suicide than for most other causes of death." Factors Īccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), challenges represented by social stigma, the taboo to openly discuss suicide, and low availability of data are obstacles leading to poor data quality for both suicide and suicide attempts. This is known as the gender paradox in suicide, a term coined by Silvia Sara Canetto and Isaac Sakinofsky. While females, particularly those under the age of 25, show higher rates of non-fatal suicidal behavior and suicide thoughts, and attempt suicide more frequently than males do, males have a much higher rate of suicide. The role that gender plays as a risk factor for suicide has been studied extensively. Overview Incidence of male–female suicide ratio by WHO region (2008) Rank Other reasons, including disparities in the strength or genuineness of suicidal thoughts, have also been given. Researchers have partly attributed the difference between suicide and attempted suicide among the sexes to males using more lethal means to end their lives. Suicide attempts are between two and four times more frequent among females. This greater male frequency is increased in those over the age of 65. In the Western world, males die by suicide three to four times more often than do females. Globally, death by suicide occurred about 1.8 times more often among males than among females in 2008, and 1.7 times in 2015. This discrepancy is also known as the gender paradox in suicide. While females more often have suicidal thoughts, males die by suicide more frequently. There are different rates of suicides and suicidal behavior between males and females (among both adults and adolescents). Gender differences in suicide rates have been shown to be significant.
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