Hilton Sterling C, Fellingham Gilbert W, Lyon Joseph L
Department of Statistics, 230 TMCB, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
Am J Epidemiol. 2002 Mar 1;155(5):413-9. doi: 10.1093/aje/155.5.413.
Previous studies have used population data to demonstrate an inverse association between suicide rates and religious commitment. This report examines Utah suicide rates for young men aged 15-34 years, stratified by their membership in and commitment to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), the predominant religion in Utah. All state death records for males from 1991 to 1995 were obtained and linked to LDS church deceased membership records to obtain a measure of religious commitment that is not self-reported. Religious commitment for LDS church members was determined by age-appropriate priesthood office. Of the 27,738 male deaths reported, 15,555 (56%) linked to an LDS church record using a probabilistic linking program. Using active (high religious commitment) LDS as the reference group, the less-active (low religious commitment) LDS group had relative risks of suicide ranging from 3.28 (ages 15-19 years) to 7.64 (ages 25-29 years); nonmembers of the LDS church had relative risks ranging from 3.43 (ages 15-19 years) to 6.27 (ages 20-24 years). Although the mechanism of the association is unclear, higher levels of religiosity appear to be inversely associated with suicide.
以往的研究利用人口数据证明了自杀率与宗教信仰之间存在负相关关系。本报告考察了犹他州15至34岁年轻男性的自杀率，并根据他们是否属于耶稣基督后期圣徒教会（LDS）及其对该教会的信仰程度进行了分层，LDS是犹他州的主要宗教。获取了1991年至1995年该州所有男性死亡记录，并将其与LDS教会已故成员记录相链接，以获得一种并非自我报告的宗教信仰衡量标准。LDS教会成员的宗教信仰程度由相应年龄的神职职位决定。在报告的27738例男性死亡中，有15555例（56%）通过概率链接程序与LDS教会记录相链接。以活跃的（宗教信仰程度高）LDS成员作为参照组，不太活跃的（宗教信仰程度低）LDS成员自杀的相对风险在3.28（15至19岁）至7.64（25至29岁）之间；LDS教会非成员的相对风险在3.43（15至19岁）至6.27（20至24岁）之间。尽管这种关联机制尚不清楚，但较高的宗教信仰程度似乎与自杀呈负相关。
