Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate gender and age differences among Druze who attempted suicide or died by it. Methods: Data on Jews, Bedouins and other Arabs were extracted from the publications of the Central Bureau of Statistics. Data on Druze suicides were received from the ministry of health, using the same definitions as for the CBS data. Suicide attempt data were retrieved from the National Emergency Room Admissions Database which includes records of all admissions to Israeli hospital emergency rooms (ER). Data on suicide attempts that did not reach an ER were thus not included. Age-adjusted rates were calculated using the 2009 census totals for the Israeli population. Results: Between the years 2001-2017, there were 117 deaths by suicide among the Druze population of all ages, of those, 91.4% (n = 107) males. The five-year mean suicide rate per 100,000 Israeli persons, in the Druze community is higher than in the other Arab groups. Additionally, male suicide rates are much higher than female ones. Regarding suicide attempts, while in the 15-24 year age-group male rates are almost four times those of females’, in the 25-44 year age-group female rates are higher. The rate of suicides and suicide attempts in the 15-24 year group was particularly high amongst Druze. Conclusion: Stigma and pressure to hide suicidal behaviors remain potent in the Druze community. Significant differences were found between genders. This study’s results underscore the urgent need to investigate the risk for suicide among Druze and act to prevent it. A nationwide initiative should target suicidal behavior and establish prevention and intervention programs.