Suicidality in the Arab World part II: Community studies

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews hospital and government based articles on suicidality in the Arab world. A systematic search was conducted up to 2006 [Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and United Arab Emirates]. Results varied across countries and methods. The Arab hospital studies, estimated annual rates of attempted suicide ranging from 1.9/100, 000 to 127/100, 000. The Arab police and government records reported annual completed suicide rates of 1.1/100, 000 to 6.2/100, 000. Several risk factors were identified. While in hospital based studies, attempt was related to being single, aged 15-25 years, primary to secondary level education, students, housewives, unemployed, belonging to over-crowded large families, and having a low socio-economic status. In addition, many psychiatric disorders were identified as risk factors, most commonly depressive disorders, adjustment, personality, and drug dependence/abuse disorders. Completed suicide victims were more frequently males, 20 to 40 years old, single, manual workers and unemployed. In conclusion, accurate recording methodology in hospitals and governmental institutions are needed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of suicidal behaviours in the Arab World