Suicide attempt rates and intervention effects in women of Turkish origin in Berlin.

PURPOSE: Ethnic minority groups show elevated suicide attempt rates across Europe. Evidence suggests a similar trend for women of Turkish origin in Germany, yet data on suicidal behaviour in minorities in Germany is scarce. The objective was to examine rates of suicidal behaviour, underlying motives, and to explore the effectiveness of an intervention program. METHODS: From 05/2009-09/2011, data on all suicide attempts among women of Turkish origin who presented at a hospital-based emergency unit in Berlin, Germany, were collected. A multi-modal intervention was conducted in 2010 and the effects of age, generation and the intervention on suicide attempt rates were examined. RESULTS: At the start, the highest rate was found in women aged 18-24years with 225.4 (95% CI=208.8-242.0)/100,000. Adjustment disorder was the most prevalent diagnosis with 49.7% (n=79), being more common in second-generation women (P=.004). Further analyses suggested an effect of the intervention in the youngest age group (trend change of ß=-1.25; P=.017). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a particularly high rate of suicide attempts by 18-24-year-old, second-generation women of Turkish origin in Berlin. Furthermore, our results suggest a trend change in suicide attempts in women aged 18-24years related to a population-based intervention program.

[Suicide Rates and Suicide Prevention in Women of Turkish Origin in Berlin]. / Suizidraten und Suizidprävention bei Berliner Frauen mit türkischem Migrationshintergrund.

Suicidality in female Turkish immigrants is higher as compared to that of native-born women of the same age. The analysis of the national mortality registry in Germany reported a 2-fold suicide risk in the target group compared to German women of the same age. A population-based multi-modal intervention project was conducted. Suicidal crisis were analysed in focus groups and guided the development of the intervention module. The intervention consisted of a public awareness campaign, a telephone hotline, and the training of key persons. All parts of the intervention were subsequently evaluated. Suicide attempts of the target group that were presented at all emergency units in Berlin were registered. In a population-based interview survey the aim was to elicit central sociodemographic and psychosocial variables that may influence distress and help-seeking behaviour in women of Turkish origin.

Mental health of Turkish women in Germany: resilience and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to examine the protective and risk factors of mental distress among Turkish women living in Germany. METHOD: 105 Turkish immigrant women living in Berlin were investigated with measures of extraversion/neuroticism (NEO-FFI), general self-efficacy (GSE), social support (BSSS), social strain (F-SOZU) and mental distress (GHQ-28). Interrelations between psychosocial variables were assessed using simple Pearson correlations. RESULTS: In all subjects, social strain (Pearson's r=.26(**), p=.008) and neuroticism (r=.34(**), p<.001) were positively associated with mental distress. In contrast, perceived self-efficacy (r=-.38(**), p<.001) and extraversion (r=-.36(**), p<.001) were negatively associated with mental distress. CONCLUSION: Protective factors such as extraversion and self-efficacy seem to have a buffering effect on the process of migration. However, in addition to neuroticism, social strain seems to be positively associated with mental distress.