Relationship of Religion with Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Plan, Suicide Attempt, and Suicide Death: A Meta-analysis

Background: Suicide is a significant public health problem and one of the leading causes of deathworldwide. The effect of religion on suicidal behaviors (i.e., ideation, plan, attempt, and death) is animportant issue worthy of consideration.Methods: Major electronic databases, including MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus, were searchedfor the articles published until ۲۶ April ۲۰۲۱. Reference lists were also screened. Observational studiesaddressing the associations between religion and suicidal behaviors were also examined. Between-studyheterogeneity was investigated using the χ۲, τ۲, and I۲ statistics. The probability of publication bias wasexplored using the Begg and Egger tests, as well as trim-and-fill analysis. The effect size was expressed asodds ratio (OR) with ۹۵% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model.Results: Out of ۱۱ ۳۸۹ identified studies, ۶۳ articles were eligible, involving ۸,۰۵۳,۶۹۷ participants.There was an inverse association between religion and suicidal ideation OR = ۰.۸۳ (۹۵% CI: ۰.۷۸, ۰.۸۸;P < ۰.۰۰۱), suicidal plan OR = ۰.۹۳ (۹۵% CI: ۰.۸۳, ۱.۰۴; P = ۰.۲۰۰), suicide attempt OR = ۰.۸۴ (۹۵% CI:۰.۷۹, ۰.۸۹; P < ۰.۰۰۱), and completed suicide OR = ۰.۳۱ (۹۵% CI: ۰.۱۴, ۰.۷۲; P = ۰.۰۰۶). There was a noevidence of publication bias.Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis support the notion that religion can play a protective roleagainst suicidal behaviors. Nonetheless, the effect of religion on suicidal behaviors varies across countrieswith different religions and cultures. Although this association does not necessarily imply causation, anawareness of the relationship between religion and suicide risk can be of great help in suicide preventionpolicies and programs.

Keywords:

Suicide plan , Suicidal ideation , Attempted suicide , Completed suicide , Meta-analysis , Religion , Spirituality