Alarming rise in suicides by Indian men between 2014 and 2021: Lancet study

BOYS DON'T CRY: A Lancet study shines a light on male suicide rate in India

A study titled Changing Pattern of Suicide Deaths in India, which was published in The Lancet Regional Health last week, has revealed that the suicide death rate (SDR) among Indian men, particularly married men and male daily-wage workers, increased more sharply than that among women between 2014 and 2021.

The study discovered that the SDR among men was twice as common as among women in 2014, but this ratio increased by 2.64x by 2021. In 2014, there were 89,129 reported suicides among men compared to 42,521 among women. However, in 2021, these figures rose to 118,979 for men and 45,026 for women.

The study calculated SDR, which represents suicides per 100,000 individuals, based on age, education, marital status, and profession in 2014 and 2021.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau and the National Sample Survey (2014, 2020–2021) was used and calibrated with the projected population.

The study identified a consistently disproportionate increase in suicide mortality among men across all demographic segments. In contrast, there was a decline in suicide deaths among women of all ages and educational levels over the seven-year period.

The SDR among currently married men (24.3) was 3x that among currently married women (8.4). The number of men citing family problems as a reason increased by 107.5 per cent, nearly twice the increase seen in women.

Suicide mortality rates rose in both married and never-married men, with the increase being significantly higher than that observed in women.

There were alarmingly high SDRs of 48.2 and 27.8 among unemployed men and women, respectively. While there was a decline in suicide deaths among women of all educational levels, men’s suicide mortality rates increased across all educational levels, the study pointed out.

The study indicated that family problems and health issues remained the primary factors contributing to suicides.

This trend is deeply concerning and warrants further research to comprehend the underlying stressors prompting men to resort to such extreme measures. Moreover, the study emphasised the need to formulate effective intervention strategies.