Religiosity and United States suicide rates, 1972-1978

Abstract

Related annual variations in United States suicide rates between 1972 and 1978 to annual variations in church attendance of representative subpopulations of the United States. Variations in the suicide rates of white males, black males, white females, and black females were significantly, inversely correlated with variations in the attendance of the respective subpopulations. No significant differences were found between the correlations for white and black females and for white and black males nor between those for black females and males and for white females and males. The general hypothesis that religiosity deters suicide was supported.