Gender differences in suicide

The role that gender plays as a risk factor for suicide has been studied extensively. While women, particularly those under the age of 25, show higher rates of non-fatal suicidal behavior and suicide thoughts, According 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. 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 Many researchers have attempted to find explanations for why gender is such a significant indicator for suicide. A common explanation relies on the social constructions of hegemonic masculinity and femininity. According to literature on gender and suicide, male suicide rates are explained in terms of traditional gender roles. Male gender roles tend to emphasize greater levels of strength, independence, risk-taking behavior, economic status, and individualism. In the Western world, women are more likely to maintain social and familial connections that they can turn to for support after losing their spouse. Men are more likely to commit suicide who are from less affluent areas, than men who are from more affluent areas. In 2003, a group of sociologists examined the gender and suicide gap by considering how cultural factors impacted suicide rates. The four cultural factors – power-distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity – were measured for 66 countries using data from the World Health Organization. Differing methods by gender The reported difference in suicide rates for men and women is partially a result of the methods used by each gender. Although women attempt suicide at a higher rate, While overdosing can be deadly, it is less immediate and therefore more likely to be caught before death occurs. In Europe, where the gender discrepancy is the greatest, a study found that the most frequent method of suicide among both genders was hanging; however, the use of hanging was significantly higher in men (54.3%) than in women (35.6%). The same study found that the second most common methods were firearms (9.7%) for men and poisoning by drugs (24.7%) for women. Other research suggests that even when men and women use the same methods, men are still more likely to die from them. In 2015, the online resource HeadsUpGuys was launched at the University of British Columbia in Canada with the aim of reducing male deaths by suicide. == Statistics ==

The incidence of suicide is vastly higher among men than women among all age groups in most of the world. , almost two-thirds of worldwide suicides (representing about 1.5% of all deaths) are by men. United States Since the 1950s, typically men die from suicide three to five times more often than women. Use of mental health resources may be a significant contributor to the gender difference in suicide rates in the US. Studies have shown that women are 13–21% more likely than men to receive a psychiatric affective diagnosis. 72–89% of women who died by suicide had contact with a mental health professional at some point in their life and 41–58% of men who died by suicide had contact with a mental health professional. According to the CDC, as of 2013 the suicide rates of Whites and Native Americans are more than twice the rates of African Americans and Hispanics. However, Whites have a lower suicide attempt rate than Hispanics, and Black and White men had the lowest rate of suicide attempts. Other research indicates that higher instances of alcoholism among men in these nations may be to blame. In 2014, suicides rates amongst under-45 men in UK reached a 15-year high of 78% of the total 5,140. Non-Western nations A higher male mortality from suicide is also evident from data of non-Western countries: the Caribbean, often considered part of the West is the most prominent example. In 1979–81, out of 74 countries with a non-zero suicide rate, 69 countries had male suicide rates greater than their female rates, two reported equal rates for the sexes (Seychelles and Kenya), while three reported female rates exceeding male rates (Papua New Guinea, Macau, and French Guiana). That contrast was greater in 2012, with WHO statistics showing China as the only country where the female suicide rate matches or exceeds the male rate. Barraclough found that the female rates of those aged 5–14 equaled or exceeded the male rates only in 14 countries, mainly in South America and Asia. China In most countries, the majority of suicides are by men but in China, women are slightly more likely to die by suicide than men. In 2015 China's ratio was around 8 men for every 10 women. According to the WHO, , the suicide rates in China for men and women were almost the same – 9.1 for male versus 10.3 for female (the rate is per 100,000 people). Traditional gender roles in China hold women responsible for keeping the family happy and intact. Suicide for women in China is shown in literature to be an acceptable way to avoid disgrace that may be brought to themselves or their families. The rate of nonlethal suicidal behavior is 40 to 60 percent higher in women than it is in men. This is due to the fact that more women are diagnosed as depressed than men, and also that depression is correlated with suicide attempts. == See also ==