Modernization and the male-female suicide ratio in India 1967-1997: Divergence or convergence?

dc.contributor.authorSteen, D.
dc.contributor.authorMayer, P.
dc.date.issued2004
dc.description© 2004 The American Association of Suicidology
dc.description.abstractThe traditional view that modernization is likely to increase male vulnerability to suicide while protecting females from such self-destruction was offered by Durkheim (1951). This implies a theory of divergence of suicide rates such that the male–female suicide ratio should increase with modernization. Contemporary researchers have questioned whether modernization has had such an impact. We conducted a time series analysis of male and female suicide data to determine the impact on the suicide ratio for India for the years 1967 to 1997. We developed a modernization index comprised of urbanization, female literacy, and female work participation rates. Moreover, to improve methodological efficacy, we controlled for the passage of time. However, we found that there is no significant relationship between modernization and the male-female suicide ratio. Our conclusion is that using national male–female suicide ratios to determine modernization effects may mask significant regional gender and age differences, particularly in developing countries such as India.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityDella M. Steen and Peter Mayer
dc.identifier.citationSuicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 2004; 34(2):147-159
dc.identifier.doi10.1521/suli.34.2.147.32782
dc.identifier.issn0363-0234
dc.identifier.issn1943-278X
dc.identifier.orcidMayer, P. [0000-0002-2031-2920]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/15884
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherGuilford Publications Inc
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1521/suli.34.2.147.32782
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectIncidence
dc.subjectSuicide
dc.subjectSex Distribution
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectUrban Population
dc.subjectIndia
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.titleModernization and the male-female suicide ratio in India 1967-1997: Divergence or convergence?
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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