THE RELATIONSHIP RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND SUICIDE: A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL

Öz

Although there is a vast literature on the nexus between religion and suicide, there is yet no study that examines the relationship between religious affiliation and suicide rate at the global level. Besides, there is scarce empirical literature that investigates the influence of Islam, Christianity, and its denominations on suicide. In order to address fill these gaps, this article explores the relationship between religious affiliation and the suicide rate in all countries around the world. By constructing a comprehensive dataset through the Association of Religion Data Archives and the World Health Organization, we look at the relationship between religiously affiliated populations and suicide rates, then consider the homogenized religious affiliation index (HRAI), in order to measure the impact of religious affiliation on suicide rate at the country level. Our analysis shows that, as the Islamic population increases, the suicide rate decreases, whereas as the Christian population increases, the suicide rate increases. Nevertheless, HRAI is negatively related to the suicide rate. Furthermore, the analysis on the denominations ascertains that Catholicism is more likely to decrease the suicide rate than Protestantism. Finally, it is shown that religious commitment is more significant than religious practice and affiliation in decreasing the suicide rate.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• religious affiliation
• Islam
• Christianity
• suicide rate

DİNİ BAĞLILIK VE İNTİHAR İLİŞKİSİ: KÜRESEL DÜZEYDE BİR İSTATİSTİKSEL ANALİZ

Öz

Din ve intihar arasındaki ilişki konusunda geniş bir literatür olmasına rağmen, dinsel bağlılık ile intihar oranı arasındaki ilişkiyi küresel düzeyde inceleyen bir çalışma henüz bulunmamaktadır. Bunun yanında, İslam, Hristiyanlık ve mezheplerinin intihar üzerindeki etkisini araştıran çok az sayıda ampirik çalışma bulunmaktadır. Literatürdeki bu boşlukları doldurmak isteyen bu makale, tüm dünya ülkelerinde dinsel bağlılık ile intihar oranı arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktadır. Bu makale kapsamında, Din Veri Arşivleri Derneği ve Dünya Sağlık Örgütü aracılığıyla kapsamlı bir veri seti oluşturarak, dini bağlılığı olan nüfuslar ile intihar oranı arasındaki ilişkiye bakıyoruz, ardından ülke düzeyinde dini inançların intihar üzerindeki etkisini ölçmek için homojenleştirilmiş dini bağlılık indeksini (HRAI) ele alıyoruz. Analizimiz, Müslüman nüfus arttıkça intihar oranının azaldığını, Hristiyan nüfus arttıkça intihar oranının arttığını göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte, homojenleştirilmiş dini bağlılık indeksi ile intihar oranı arasında negatif ilişki bulunmuştur. Ayrıca mezhepler üzerinde yapılan analiz, Katolikliğin Protestanlığa göre intihar oranını düşürme olasılığının daha yüksek olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Son olarak, intihar oranını azaltmakta dini sadakatin, dini uygulama ve bağlılıktan daha önemli olduğu gösterilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• dinsel bağlılık
• İslam
• Hristiyanlık
• intihar oranı

Kaynakça

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