Suicide stigma in Ghana: examining the role of gender, culture, and attribution

Until recently attempting suicidal was a crime in Ghana. Suicide stigma experiences in Ghana can lead individuals to conceal their condition, limit social interactions, and avoid help-seeking. This study therefore seeks to examine the factors influencing suicide stigma in Ghana to better understand and provide recommendations to reduce suicide stigma. In Accra and Tamale, Ghana, 197 adults were recruited to participate in a Qualtrics survey in English, Dagbani or Twi languages with an experimental vignette describing a suicidal individual, manipulated on gender and age, followed by questions eliciting attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs. The sample consisted of 92 females and 105 males with an average age of 33.2 years. This research examined the relationship between people’s beliefs about the causes and personal responsibility of suicidal ideation and stigma. The canonical correlation analysis indicated significant explanatory variates explained approximately 20% of response variance for male participants and 18% for female participants. Findings underscore that targeting suicidal stigma requires a nuanced and multi-layered approach that acknowledges the roles of sociodemographic factors, cultural beliefs, and attribution regarding suicidal ideation. These findings support community-based stigma reduction efforts to help develop a comprehensive approach to foster greater empathy, inclusivity, and support for individuals living with suicidal ideation. Situating the findings within the broader literature, this study offers insights to guide future research on suicide stigma and mental health in Ghana.