Citation

Osafo J, Knizek BL, Akotia CS, Hjelmeland H. J. Relig. Health 2013; 52(2): 488-504.

Affiliation

Department of Social Work and Health Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway, joseph.osafo@samfunn.ntnu.no.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Academy of Religion and Mental Health, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10943-011-9487-3

PMID

21547612

Abstract

The objective of this qualitative study was to understand how religion influences lay persons' attitudes towards suicide in Ghana. Twenty-seven adults from both rural and urban settings were interviewed. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data. Results showed that the participants are committed to core and normative religious beliefs and practices they perceived as life preserving. Such an understanding influenced their view of suicidal behaviour as unacceptable. Nevertheless, religion facilitated their willingness to help people during suicidal crisis. Religious commitment theory is used to explain some of the findings of this study. Implications for suicide prevention are discussed.

Language: en