Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
May 16, 2011 News
– one death every 40 seconds
By Rabindra Rooplall
In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Suicide is among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 years in some countries, and the second leading cause of death in the 10-24 years age group, this is according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
These figures do not include suicide attempts which are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicide. In 2009, Guyana was listed as ninth in the world’s list of suicides per 100,000 people per year. Guyana has an annual suicide rate of 25 per 100,000 people.
In Berbice, the rate doubles to 50 per 100,000. Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth ages 15-24 and the third leading cause of death among persons 25-44.
In the 15-19 age group, it is the leading cause of death among females and the second leading cause of death among males. Minister of Health Leslie Ramsammy has called the problem a major health crisis.
Officials have blamed factors including depression, domestic disputes and distress over health problems as a major contributory factor. It was also noted that the ingestion of poisons and pesticides was the method used by most victims. Hanging accounted for a significant number of deaths as well.
Statistics also show that Guyanese of East Indian descent were most likely to take their lives, prompting community organisations to press the government to act.
Other risk factors include: Mental illness, primarily depression and alcohol-use disorders, abuse, violence, loss, cultural and social background.
Guyana’s suicide rate is said to be one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere and close to world-leading levels in Russia and other former Soviet countries.
The WHO noted that every year, almost one million people die from suicide; a “global” mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds.
Suicide worldwide is estimated to represent 1.8 percent of the total global burden of disease in 1998, and 2.4 percent in countries with market and former socialist economies in 2020.
Worldwide, the prevention of suicide has not been adequately addressed due to basically a lack of awareness of suicide as a major problem and the taboo in many societies to discuss openly about it. In fact, only a few countries have included prevention of suicide among their priorities.
According to the WHO, it is clear that suicide prevention requires intervention also from outside the health sector and calls for an innovative, comprehensive multi-sectoral approach, including both health and non-health sectors, e.g. education, labour, police, justice, religion, law, politics, the media.
Strategies involving restriction of access to common methods of suicide, such as firearms or toxic substances like pesticides, have proved to be effective in reducing suicide rates; however, there is a need to adopt multi-sectoral approaches involving many levels of intervention and activities.
The health organisation further noted that there is compelling evidence indicating that adequate prevention and treatment of depression and alcohol and substance abuse can reduce suicide rates, as well as follow-up contact with those who have attempted suicide.
Although traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing countries.
Mental disorders (particularly depression and alcohol use disorders) are also major risk factors for suicide, since suicide is complex with psychological, social, biological, cultural and environmental factors involved.
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