Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ’Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Īlām (Mar 2020)
Assessment of Some Social Factors Related to Suicidal Behaviors in Ilam, Iran, during 2018
Abstract
Introduction: Suicide as a major health problem is considred as a social problem worldwide. The role of social factors in suicide is more important than that of other factors. Suicidal behaviors and suicide attempts are usually higher in the societies where values, norms, and social laws are poorly intergrated. This study aimed to investigate the association between some social factors (i.e., social anomie, social support, social participation, and social trust) and suicidal behaviors in Ilam, Iran, during 2018. Materials & Methods:The population of this cross-sectional study included all residents over 15 years of age in Ilam province, Iran. The sample size was obtained at 515 cases who were selected based on a multi-stage random sampling method. The data were collcetd using the Suicide Behavior Questionnaire-Revised to measure the suicidal behaviors. Moreover, the data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 16) through t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and multivariate linear regression analysis. Findings: The mean age of the particpinats was 34.17±3.26 years, of which 271 (52.9%) cases were male. Moreover, 16.2% of the subjects showed the risk of suicidal behavior (n=82).The mean score of the suicidal behavior was obtained at 5.41±3.01. Based on the regression model, variables, such as age (P=0.03), gender (P=0.02), marital status (P=0.02), occupational status (P=0.01), place of residence (P=0.02), social anomie (P=0.04), social cohesion (P=0.03), social support (P=0.02), social participation (P=0.01), interpersonal social trust (P=0.02), and economic security (P=0.01) explained suicidal behaviors. Discussion & Conclusions: According to the results, socioeconomic status led to a decrease in social capital and social support which resulted in an increase in suicidal behaviors. Therefore, any management planning and action to reduce economic and social gaps as well as providing economic security in the community can improve other determinants of suicidal behaviors.
