64 Friday, June 19, 1981
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Jewish Suicide in Oakland County, Michigan
By BRUCE L. DANTO
and
JOAN M. DANTO
(Editor's note: This is
the concluding article of
a two-part series on
Jewish suicide excerpted
from a paper presented
by the authors in April to
the American Associa-
tion of Suicidology.)
In this section we will
present data dealing with
the Jewish suicide rate for
Oakland County, Michigan
during the 11-year period
(1969-1979).
Using two different sets of
statistical analysis, the
authors concluded that the
suicide rate for non-Jews in
Oakland County was much
higher than that of Jews.
According to one set of fig-
ures, the Jewish rate was
6.86 per 100,000 population
compared to 14.07 per
100,000 population for
non-Jews. According to a
second set of statistics, the
authors concluded that the
non-Jewish rate of suicide
was 91 percent higher than
the Jewish rate.
Thus, by either method of
statistical analysis, it ap-
pears that the average
non-Jewish suicide rate for
Oakland County in the 11-.
year period studied is far
greater than the average
Jewish suicide rate.
The study sample is com-
prised of a total of 1,367
suicidal deaths. There were
108 Jewish and 1,259 non-
Jewish suicides.
Although there were no
significant differences
between the two groups
(Jewish and non-Jewish)
as to total figures over the
11-year period, the
largest percentage of
Jewish deaths occurred
in 1976 (13.76 percent -
15 deaths) and 1978 (12.84
percent - 14 deaths).
This compares to the
highest number of non-
Jewish deaths which was
the same in 1976 and 1977
(10.43 percent).
There are significant dif-
ferences between the
Jewish and non-Jewish
population according to age.
The greatest number of
Jews committed suicide at
ages 50 to 54 (15.60 pet-
cent), but the greatest
number of non-Jews were
ages 20 to 24 (12.55 per-
cent). That age group (20 to
24) was second highest for
Jews (12.84 percent), and
the second greatest for
non-Jews (11.28 percent)
was the 25 to 29 age group.
Comparing the number of
deaths of males and females
indicates that of the total
number of suicides of both
the Jewish and non-Jewish
population there were sig-
nificant differences. The
figures of the non-Jewish
male (847) and female (412)
deaths conform to the ac-
cepted ratio of completed
suicides: about twice as
many males as females
commit suicide.
However, in the Jewish
groups there is a dramatic
change. There was a more
equal number of female
deaths (50) to those of males
(58).
The greatest number of
deaths both for the
Jewish males (60.34 per-
cent) and females (52 per-
cent) were married, as
were the non-Jewish
males (51.67 percent) and
females (56.68 percent).
Although the second
largest number of Jewish
male deaths were single
(27.59 percent), the sec-
ond largest number of
Jewish women (18 per-
cent) were widowed.
The study sample in-
cluded 108 Jewish and
1,259 non-Jewish suicides.
The rate of 6.86 per 100,000
in Oakland County reflects
a generally acknowledged
lower rate among Jews. The
rate 14.07 per 100,000 for
the non-Jews in Oakland
County more nearly approx-
imates the reported known
suicide rates in the United
States.
Rates Vary
by Religion
These rates are consistent
with those that are still re-
ported from the work of
Durkheim. Perhaps this is
because population ratios of
Jew to non-Jew have not
changed significantly or be-
cause there has always been
more of a taboo associated
with suicide among the
Jewish population, as dis-
cussed in the introduction.
Some data have shown that
suicide rates have been sub-
stantially higher among
Protestants than Catholics,
and that suicide rates
among Jews have been close
to the low Catholic rates.
According to a study by
Gross and Reed, the
Jewish suicide rate in
New York (1963 to 1967) is
much lower than that of
the Protestant group. A
comparison by sex indi-
cates that our study for
Jewish males and
females is similar to that
of Gross and Reed. Their
figures indicate that
non-Jewish male deaths
are more than twice that
of Jewish males and the
differences increase with
age. The female group is
closer in percentage
rates but are almost the
same for ages 65 and
over.
The suicide rates for the
Jewish group, however, are
consistent with our study.
The rates are a little less
than 1'/2 male to one female
death. It is also of interest
that in Gross, et al, in the
ages 45 to 64, the rates are
virtually the same for
Jewish males and females.
The year of highest suici-
dal deaths fails to indicate
any specific trend or impor-
tance. However, some sig-
nificance may be seen in
that 1976 was the bicenten-
nial year for this country.
Possibly for some it may
have triggered an "anniver-
sary" reaction. The feeling
may have been that with
others having reasons to
celebrate, their own feel-
ings of loss or lack of ex-
citement in living were con-
firmed. There seems to be no
particular significance to
the years 1977 or 1978.
The ages of 50 to 54, the
highest number of Jewish
male suicides, is closer to
the nationally known fig-
ures on largest number at
age of suicide. This may be
explained by the fact that
people at that age feel pres-
sures from earning a living
to support - families,
businesses which may be
doing poorly when the own-
ers' children most need
money for college educa-
tion, weddings, impending
or actually significant ill-
ness, or for other reasons.
There may also be tre-
mendous pressures to
succeed, compete, or
"keep up" with relatives
or friends. If one is a pro-
fessional, it could be that
other younger men may
have become more popu-
lar and the pressure of
competition is felt more
keenly.
Another strong possibil-
ity at this age is separation
by divorce or death of a
mate. For many who have
not become successful by
this age, it is painful to con-
template many years ahead
with much the same striv-
ings and little to show for
them, coupled with outside
pressures by family or na-
tional inflation rates. For
some, feelings of failure and
loneliness may become in-
tolerable and suicide for
them is the only alternative
for their failure to cope.
Motives Postulated
for Young People
According to our study,
this community does not
match the overall figures in
a study by James Diggory,
which included the years
1933 to 1968. In that study,
the highest suicide rates
were in the group at least 75
years old. Our population
was considerably younger.
It may be because of retire-
ment to warmer climates for
senior citizens, plus the fact
that this population has
many families with chil-
dren still living at home.
In both groups, there was
a significant number of
deaths for young people
aged 20 to 30. People at this
age feel anxious about hav-
ing to make choices about
jobs and having to make a
living. Many apply to pro-
fessional schools and face
the possibility of not being
accepted. Others rely on
drugs to help them cope
with daily living.
They may feel isolated,
and fear success as well
as failure. There may be a
lack of- appropriate jobs
and many young people
face bleak futures, un-
prepared or unable to
cope with life's pres-
sures.
For many young people
there has been a failure to
resolve dependency ties to
their parents. When they
are expected to live on their
own and support them-
selves they feel an inability
to do so.
Other people at this age
may find it difficult to de-
velop a romantic relation-
ship. This may create feel-
ings of isolation and loneli-
ness. If parents have di-
vorced or died, they may feel
an emptiness from their loss
because the relationship
may have provided signific-
ant emotional support.
Thus, for them, suicide pro-
vides a fantasied reunion
with their lost source of
support.
In national studies, the
ratio of completed suicides
of female to male is similar
to our study. It is an ac-
cepted statistic that more
men commit suicide (3 to 1)
but more women attempt
(about 3 to 1). According to
Schneidman, since 1970
there has been a tiend
toward more equal propor-
tions between the sexes.
This may be caused by
changes in lifestyles, pres-
sures related to urbaniza-
tion, or improved postmor-
tem procedures.
Jewish deaths were
significantly different.
The results, however, are
more similar to the
suicide death rate in Is-
rael. As reported earlier
in the paper, it is consis-
tent with that rate; never
more than half of the
women commit suicide
but the male rate was 1.3
times that of females.
This may be because
many Jewish women are
fairly well liberated and re-
ceive recognition of their
value beyond a sexist im-
age. Many have returned to
school, have jobs, and share
responkibilities for child-
rearing and management of
the home. Although many
non-Jewish women also
work, it may be that atti-
tudes vary between cul-
tures.
An interesting finding
was that the majority of the
suicide deaths in our study
for both males (Jewish
60.34 percent, non-Jewish
51.67 percent) and females
(Jewish 52 pe-cent, non-
Jewish 56.68 percent) were
married persons. In almost
all cultures, widowers,
widows and the divorced
have higher rates of suicide
compared with those whose
marital status remains un-
changed. It would seem that
a high number of suicides
among married persons is
an unusual finding.
This may indicate that
people living in this com-
munity have similar atti-
tudes of preserving a mar-
riage at all costs. Since
many of the suicide deaths
in our sample occur during
the marriage years, it may
indicate that many married
couples are unhappy or un-
able to communicate with
one another. It may also
indicate that although they
are married, the support
system within that mar-
riage is unavailable. It may
also be that some personal
problems cannot be coped
with by marital support
alone.
The second highest
number of suicide deaths
for Jewish males (27.59
percent) were single, as
were non-Jewish males
(30.71 percent) and non-
Jewish females (17.36
percent). Since the sec-
ond highest number of
deaths also occur at ages
20 to 29, one can assume
that many singles are
young and unmarried.
One exception is the sec-
ond highest number of
deaths (18 percent) for
Jewish women who were
widowed. Since the majority
of- Jewish " female deaths
occur at ages 50 to 54, it is
fair to assume that a
number of women at that
age level were widowed.
Their depression may
have been caused by the
death of a spouse and the
loss of a support system and
a change in social status.
There may have been other
factors such as were dis-
cussed in a previous section
of this paper.
Holidays Become
Depressing Factor
The findings based on
suicides in the month of the
year produce some interest-
ing results. In the Jewish
group, the largest number
of male deaths (17.24 per-
cent) occurred in October. It
is significant to note that
Yom Kippur, the most holy
Jewish holiday, frequently
occurs in October. It is
called the "Day of Atone-
ment" when one asks God
for forgiveness of past sins
and prays for life for an-
other year. It is also a time
when families reunite.
For people who feel
guilty or depressed and
can see only another
empty year, this holiday
furthers a sense of
hopelessness. If one has
lost a spouse or other
loved ones, family reu-
nions cause more pain
and reinforce the feelings
of loss.
For Jewish females the
largest number of deaths
(20 percent) occurred in
August. This may be attrib-
uted to the fact that the
Jewish New Year, Rosh
Hashana, occurs in Sep-
tember. For many women
the coming holiday means
cooking and preparing for
family gatherings.
Anticipation of this holi-
day may cause feelings of
loneliness and depression if
a spouse or other loved one
has died. The New Year
may not be expected to
bring much more joy tile,-,-
the last. Even though it m
be a month away, rn:
women begin to think
and plan for that day. The
holiday which should be a
joyous occasion may actu-
ally be a sad and depressing
one.
In the non-Jewish male
group, the highest number
of deaths occurred in July
(9.45 percent). There does
not seem to be any event or
explanation of significance
for this result.
Some significance,
however, can be attached
to the high number of
non-Jewish female
deaths (10.19 percent) in
December, when Christ-
mas is celebrated.
Among Jewish males, the
second highest month of
suicides (13.79 percent) oc-
curs in April. Of importance
may be that Passover occurs
at that time.
For the Jewish females,
the second highest month of
death (14 percent) was Oc-
tober. This is similar to the
Jewish males and the ex-
planation would be consis-
tent for the female group.
Suicides Listed
by Community
The highest number of
Jewish suicides occur in two
communities, Oak Park
(22.02 percent) and South-
field (42.20 percent). This is
not surprising because the
Jewish community is con-
centrated primarily in this
area.
Jews have tradi-
tionally been a close-knit
group and tend to live
near one another be-
cause of feelings of secu-
rity, similar back-
grounds, and strong cul-
tural ties. Because of this
there are usually
synagogues in the area
which become centers of
religious activiity. They
provide support and take
care of their members. •
However, recently as-
similation has eroded many
of these traditions and prob-
lems of the larger non-
Jewish group have been re-._
fleeted in the Jewish cc
munity as well.
The third highest inci-
dence of Jewish deaths oc-
curred in West Bloomfield
(11.93 percent). There has
been a population shift to
this northwestern suburb
and it is not surprising that
this is reflected in the
number of Jewish suicides
there.
The above-mentioned
communities are middle
class. Most Jews are in this
group based on their jobs or
educational level. There-
fore, our sample is fairly
representative of the
Jewish group in general.