A Renewed Commitment to Life: A Grounded Theory Study of Suicide Attempts in Badakhshan, Tajikistan

Abstract

Suicide is a serious and complex problem. The majority of suicides occur in low and middle-income countries. Also, suicide presents differently in different parts of the world and needs to be studied in its socio-cultural-religious context. Research on suicide in Central Asian countries, which are majority Muslim countries is limited. This study focuses on lived experiences of suicide in Badakhshan, Tajikistan; a remote Muslim province in Central Asia using the constructivist grounded theory methodology. This study also attempts to identify factors associated with suicide in this region. Twelve participants who identified as Muslim and made a suicide attempt were interviewed face-to-face in Tajikistan. Data from the interviews, including field notes, were analyzed using the constructivist grounded theory method to form a mid-range theory on the experience of suicide in Badakhshan. Findings include the development of a mid-range theory of suicide attempts in Badakhshan, Tajikistan and include the core categories of experiencing extreme hardship, seeking or not seeking help and the factors associated with suicide in the province. Findings that shed light on the lived experiences of suicide in this province its social, cultural, religious and political context.