title: Suicidal Behaviors Among Muslim Women. Patterns, Pathways, Meanings, and Prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The literature on Muslim women's suicidality has been growing. Comprehensive reviews are, however, unavailable, and theory needs development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews and integrates theories and findings about Muslim women's suicidality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two databases (PsycINFO and Web of Science) were searched for publications about Muslim women's suicidality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is significant variability in Muslim women's patterns of suicidality across Muslim-majority communities and countries. Muslim women represent half to nearly all cases of nonfatal suicidal behavior. According to the official records of Muslim-majority countries, women's suicide mortality is lower than that of men. Community studies, however, show that in some areas, Muslim women have significantly higher suicide rates than Muslim men. Both nonfatal and fatal suicidal behaviors are most common among uneducated and poor rural young women. Muslim women's typical suicide methods vary by locale, and include self-burning, hanging, and poisoning. With regard to contexts and meanings, a recurring female script is that of suicidality as protest against and desperate escape from the oppressive regulation as well as the abuse many women endure within their families and societies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding and preventing Muslim women's suicidality, and the socially sanctioned oppression it is often a response to, require system-level - not just individual-level - analyses and interventions as well as a human rights perspective.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Silvia Sara
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Canetto
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Islam; abuse; human rights; suicide script; thwarted individuation; women