Research watch: men’s social inclusion and suicide prevention
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-06-2018-0021 |
| Published date | 13 August 2018 |
| Pages | 167-173 |
| Date | 13 August 2018 |
| Author | Sue Holttum |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Research watch: men’s social inclusion
and suicide prevention
Sue Holttum
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore recent research on reducing suicide, especially in men,
who are often seen as excluding themselves from needing support, or they are excluded because people
think they do not want it.
Design/methodology/approach –A searchwas carried out for recent papers on suicideprevention in men.
Findings –One study of 75 regions of Europe reported a link between higher value on giving social support
and lower suicide rates, especially for men. Another study reported on the fall in a previously high suicide rate,
especially in men, in Quebec province in Canada. A programme of suicide prevention may have contributed
to this reduction. Finally, a small interview study reported on how certain kinds of encounters with
professionals can inspire hope to carry on after a suicide attempt.
Originality/value –The two papers looking at regions (across Europe and one province of Canada) suggest
how social forces may contribute to reducing suicide, especially in men. The Canadian study suggests the
possibility that suicide might be reduced partly by enabling help-seeking in men to be seen as a positive
aspect of masculine identity, rather than seeing masculinity as excluding men from support. The small
qualitative study illustrates vividly how individual encounters after a suicide attempt might promote
hopefulness and are relevant to both sexes.
Keywords Masculinity, Social inclusion, Suicide prevention, Help-seeking, Men
Paper type Viewpoint
Three recentpapers have examined the issueof suicide. First, I describe thefindings of Sedivy et al.
(2017), who looked at 75 regions across Europe. They wanted to see if fewer people kill
themselves in placesthat have a greater culture of giving support, comparedto places where the
tradition is morethat people fend for themselves. Theyalso looked at men and women separately,
because of higher suicide rates in men. The second paper (Roy et al., 2018) discusses recent
policy changesin Quebec, a region of Canada. Thesechanges appear to have reducedthe rate of
male suicide comparedto other parts of North America. The third paper(Vatne and Naden, 2018)
reports on a small-scale study in whichthe researchers interviewed peoplewho had recently tried
to end their lives. They asked what helped them to carry on afterwards.
Are men more likely to take their own lives if they live in a “fend-for-yourself”culture?
Sedivy et al. (2017) begin by highlighting the higher suicide rates in men than women worldwide.
However, some regions of the world have lower overall suicide rates than others, so the authors
wondered whether the differences might be a clue to what might reduce suicide, especially in men.
Although the causes of suicide are complex, Sedivy et al. (2017) wished to focus on one of the things
that may contribute: the societies and cultures that surround people. A person’s connection to social
networks, suggest Sedivy et al. (2017), protect people from suicide because these networks enable
people to feel both that they can receive support and that they are contributing to others.
Social support and suicide
Sedivy et al. (2017) wanted to look at suicide rates in different places, and see if they could find
any links with a measure of community valuing of support-giving at the level of regions within
Sue Holttum is Senior Lecturer
at the Salomons Centre for
Applied Psychology,
Canterbury Christ Church
University, Royal Tunbridge
Wells, UK.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-06-2018-0021 VOL. 22 NO. 4 2018, pp. 167-173, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAG E 16 7
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