Suicidality Among Men in Russia: A Review of Recent Epidemiological Data

Abstract

Suicide is a phenomenon that is not related to a specific class of countries but is a problem worldwide. Many studies have attempted to explain gender differences in suicidal behaviors. Unfortunately, Russia holds the world's top place for the number of suicides committed by its male citizens. Russia is still demonstrating unusually high death rates due to non-natural causes, and these demographic trends are concerning. We analyzed suicidality among men in Russia over the past 20 years using official data published by the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) and secondary sources. We also discussed male suicide as a social problem, analyzed, and evaluated male suicidality in Russia from 2000 to 2020, and reviewed the factors influencing the prevalence of male suicides over female suicides in Russia.Russia is still going through one of the most significant historical changes in the last 100 years. Our analysis showed discrepancies between official numbers and data published by non-government organizations in Russia. Unemployment, low socioeconomic status, underdiagnosed and/or untreated mental illness, and substance abuse are major risk factors for suicide in Russian men. Cultural influences also make suicidal behavior socially scripted in Russia.By providing examples and analyzing data, we aspire to encourage improvements in the practice of mental wellbeing in Russia and other post-Soviet countries. The recommendations within this report are intended as a starting point for dialogue to guide effective suicide prevention in this country.

Modeling Suicidality Risks and Understanding the Phenomenon of Suicidality Under the Loupe of Pandemic Context: National Findings of the COMET-G Study in the Russian Population

“…These findings are consistent with the general understanding that depression and bipolar depression are the most evident contributors to suicidal ideation and suicidality risks[61,64]. It is an interesting fact that many studies indicate alcohol use to be a particular suicidal risk factor, particularly in the Russian Federation and in relation to alcohol overconsumption; whilst our results support this data, according to our sample analysis, alcohol misuse was outranked by the use of illicit psychoactive compounds[33,65]. Consistent with international findings from many Asian studies we found that recent changes in certain other mental health-associated variables, such as the recent increase in suicidal thoughts, deterioration of sleep quality with the need to use sleeping pills, and having nightmares due to COVID-19-related pandemic contexts are also associated with higher current suicidality risks[10,62,67,68].…”

“…However, the number of suicide attempts was apparently higher among females [35,36]. According to the most recent review about suicides in Russia, the number of suicide attempts increases with age, with its peak at 50 years old [33].…”

“…Studies of suicidality risks in the Russian Federation are rare and have significant limitations due to addressing focus group populations or small sample sizes [33]. During prepandemic times, the suicide rate within the general population in Russia has been gradually decreasing over the last two decades (2000: 39.1 per 100,000; 2010: 23.4 per STAI-S subscale for the state of anxiety) [53], Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) [54],…”

“…During prepandemic times, the suicide rate within the general population in Russia has been gradually decreasing over the last two decades (2000: 39.1 per 100,000; 2010: 23.4 per 100,000; 2020: 11.3 per 100,000) [ 34 ]. However, the number of suicides among the male population of Russia has always been higher than that for females, despite the reverse data on higher rates of suicidal attempts amongst women compared to men [ 33 , 35 , 36 ]. Higher suicide rates amongst men have been discussed in terms of cultural and other country-specific issues, including their links to the factors of unemployment, financial problems, excessive alcohol consumption among men, divorce, and the predominant protection of maternity and single mothers by law versus the lack of support for fatherhood [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ].…”

Suicide risk in patients with a current depressive episode during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Despite a recent decline in suicide mortality in the Russian Federation ( 43 ) following changes in government alcohol policy ( 44 ), pre-pandemic suicide rates in the country remained higher than the European regional average ( 45 ). Rates of depression in the Russian general population were also high before the pandemic.…”