Suicide in Japan

Crisis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yamashita Shiho ◽  
Takizawa Tohru ◽  
Sakamoto Shinji ◽  
Taguchi Manabu ◽  
Takenoshita Yuka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Elderly Men ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Suicide Rates

Abstract. This article introduces the reader to present conditions and suicide prevention measures in Japan. The suicide rate has increased gradually since the early 1990s, reaching a postwar peak in 1998. The number of suicides has remained at about 30,000 every year since 1998. Middle-aged (55-59 years) and elderly men have especially high suicide rates. In 2002, The Council of Learned People on Measures Against Suicides (organized by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare) released its report on national suicide prevention strategies. Although national suicide prevention strategies have just begun to be established, some prefectures or regions have undertaken unique suicide prevention measures.

scholarly journals An Exploration of the Labor, Financial, and Economic Factors Related to Suicide in the Republic of Kazakhstan

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6992
Author(s):  
Ken Inoue ◽  
Nursultan Seksenbayev ◽  
Nailya Chaizhunusova ◽  
Timur Moldagaliyev ◽  
Nargul Ospanova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Consumer Price Index ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Prevention Interventions ◽  
Annual Total ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Highly Correlated

The Republic of Kazakhstan has one of the world’s highest suicide rates. A detailed study of the risk factors for suicide in that country is therefore important. We investigated country-wide statistics related to labor, financial, and economic factors and whether any of these factors contribute to the risk of suicide in Kazakhstan. Using the 20 year period from 2000 to 2019, we examined the annual suicide rates overall (all citizens) and for males and females in Kazakhstan, annual unemployment rates, annual rates of increase in the country’s consumer price index, annual total exports, and annual total imports. We then calculated the correlations between the suicide rates and these four items. We also performed a multiple regression analysis of the relationship between the suicide rate and those four items. The results of these analyses indicated that the unemployment rate was the correlation coefficient most highly correlated with the suicide rate; unemployment was significantly related to suicide and should be targeted as a risk factor in suicide prevention interventions in Kazakhstan. With this in mind, organizations, government agencies, and professionals in relevant fields need to devise and implement suicide prevention measures.

The Causes of Changing Suicide Rates

2007 ◽  
Vol 100 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1140-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Lester
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Reduced Toxicity

The declining English suicide rate from 1960–1975 was consistent with explanations involving the reduced toxicity of domestic gas, the increase in the number of suicide prevention centers, and increasing social stress. It was impossible to ascertain which explanations were correct and which incorrect.

Restrictions in Availability of Drugs Used for Suicide

Crisis ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (S1) ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merete Nordentoft
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Tricyclic Antidepressants ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Suicide Rates

Abstract. Availability of drugs with high lethality has been hypothesized to increase the risk of self-poisoning suicides. A literature search concerning deliberate self-poisoning and the effect of restricting access to drugs was conducted, and the effect of restrictions in availability of barbiturates, tricyclic antidepressants, dextropropoxyphene, and weak analgesics was reviewed. The correlations between method-specific and overall suicide rates and sales figures for barbiturates, dextropropoxyphene, weak analgesics, and tricyclic antidepressants were reviewed. It is concluded that restriction in availability of drugs with high case fatality should be a part of suicide prevention strategies.

Evidence-based suicide prevention strategies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 795-800
Author(s):  
Danuta Wasserman ◽  
Vladimir Carli
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Risk And Protective Factors ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
The Impact

Evidence has shown that during times of crises, suicide rates can decrease but tend to increase as the crisis alleviates. The consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic, whether direct or indirect, will be far reaching. In this chapter the impact of the pandemic on the risk and protective factors of suicide, grouped according to the socio-ecological model at individual, relationship, community, and society levels, is described. To prevent unnecessary suicides, the effects of Covid-19 pandemic, on health care and public health suicide prevention strategies, and recommendations for implementation are presented.

State Regulations for Suicide Prevention in Jails and the Jail Suicide Rate

1992 ◽  
Vol 71 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1170-1170
Author(s):  
David Lester
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
State Standards ◽  
State Regulations ◽  
Suicide Rates

The jail suicide rates for 1985–1986 were not related to the existence of state standards for jail suicide prevention which had been established in 13 of 35 states responding to a 1989 survey, but were related to the states' jail population.

scholarly journals Suicide in Akita Prefecture, Japan

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-5
Author(s):  
Masahito Fushimi ◽  
Junya Sugawara ◽  
Tetsuo Shimizu
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Police Agency ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Akita Prefecture ◽  
National Police

In recent years, the number of suicides in Japan has increased dramatically, particularly among middle-aged men. According to the Brief Report on Suicides in 2001 by the National Police Agency of Japan (NPA, 2002), the number of suicides in Japan was 31 042, and the national suicide rate was 24.4/100 000. Akita is an agricultural prefecture with a population of approximately 1 200 000. According to the Akita Prefectural Police (APP), the number of suicides in Akita Prefecture was 457 (299 males, 158 females) in 2001. Akita Prefecture currently has the highest rate of suicide in Japan. The identification of strategies for suicide prevention is therefore imperative.

scholarly journals Sociodemographic Analysis of Suicide Rates Among Older Adults Living in Ecuador: 1997–2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Isabela Troya ◽  
Rebekka M. Gerstner ◽  
Freddy Narvaez ◽  
Ella Arensman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
International Classification Of Diseases ◽  
Percentage Increase ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Male Suicide ◽  
Undetermined Intent ◽  
Log Linear

Background: Despite most suicides occurring in low-and-middle-income countries (LAMICs), limited reports on suicide rates in older adults among LAMICs are available. In Ecuador, high suicide rates have been reported among adolescents. Little is known about the epidemiology of suicides among older adults in Ecuador.Aim: To examine the sociodemographic characteristics of suicides among older adults living in Ecuador from 1997 to 2019.Methods: An observational study was conducted using Ecuador's National Institute of Census and Statistics database from 1997 to 2019 in Ecuadorians aged 60 and older. International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) (X60-X84)-reported suicide deaths were included in addition to deaths of events of undetermined intent (Y21-Y33). Sex, age, ethnicity, educational level, and method of suicide were analyzed. Annual suicide rates were calculated per 100,000 by age, sex, and method. To examine the trends in rates of suicide, Joinpoint analysis using Poisson log-linear regression was used.Results: Suicide rates of female older adults remained relatively stable between 1997 and 2019 with an average annual percentage increase of 2.4%, while the male rates increased between 2002 and 2009, 2014 and 2016, and maintained relatively stable within the past 3 years (2017–2019). The annual age-adjusted male suicide rate was 29.8 per 100,000, while the female suicide rate was 5.26 per 100,000 during the study period. When adding deaths of undetermined intent, the annual male rate was 60.5 per 100,000, while the same rate was 14.3 for women. The most common suicide method was hanging (55.7%) followed by self-poisoning (26.0%). The highest suicide numbers were reported in urban districts, men, and those with lower education status.Conclusion: This study contributes to building the baseline for further studies on suicide rates of older adults in Ecuador. Results highlight priority areas of suicide prevention. By examining suicide trends over 23 years, findings can help inform policy and future interventions targeting suicide prevention.

scholarly journals Problematic Advice From Suicide Prevention Experts

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Hjelmeland ◽  
Katrina Jaworski ◽  
Birthe L. Knizek ◽  
Ian Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Pharmacological Treatment ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
The Many ◽  
Suicide Prevention Programs

Based on a 10-year systematic review of suicide prevention strategies, “29 suicide prevention experts from 17 European countries” recommend 4 allegedly evidence-based strategies to be included in national suicide prevention programs. One of the recommended strategies is pharmacological treatment of depression. This recommendation is problematic for several reasons. First, it is based on a biased selection and interpretation of available evidence. Second, the authors have failed to take into consideration the widespread corruption in the research on antidepressants. Third, the many and serious side effects of antidepressants are not considered. Thus, the recommendation may have deleterious consequences for countless numbers of people, and, in fact, contribute to an increase in the suicide rate rather than a decrease.

Hanging, Firearm, and Non-Domestic Gas Suicides Among Males: A Comparative Study

2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego De Leo ◽  
Diego De Leo ◽  
Russell Evans ◽  
Kerryn Neulinger
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Completed Suicide ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Suicide Note

Objective: To identify characteristics that could distinguish males who completed suicide by hanging from males who completed suicide by firearms and non-domestic gas, and to suggest suicide prevention strategies targeted at hanging. Method: Using the psychological autopsy design, males who used hanging, firearms and non-domestic gas were compared on a range of variables covering social, psychological, and health related factors and aspects of the suicide incident. The sample consisted of 950 males who suicided in Queensland, Australia, between 1994 and 1996. Results: Compared with males who used firearms and non-domestic gas, males who used hanging were significantly younger, less likely to have left a suicide note, and more likely to have been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. Compared with males who used firearms, males who used hanging were significantly more likely to have made prior suicide attempts and have had no physical illness. Compared with males who used non-domestic gas, males who used hanging were significantly more likely to have lived with others, have had prior legal trouble, and have suicided at their residence. Conclusions: The results are discussed in terms of the availability and socio-cultural acceptability of methods. The authors suggest a possible relationship between impulsive traits and method choice. This proposition requires further investigation using alternative methodologies. Some suicide prevention measures targeting hanging suicides are discussed in light of the results.

Suicide in Later Life

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Van Orden ◽  
Caroline Silva ◽  
Yeates Conwell
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Universal Prevention ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Suicide Rates

Suicide in later life is a significant public health problem around the world—a problem that will increase in magnitude in the coming years with the impact of population aging. Adults age 70 and older have higher suicide rates than younger groups worldwide in both lower-income and higher-income countries. While suicide rates tend to increase with age, suicide in later life is not an expected or normative response to stressors that accompany the aging process. Instead, a constellation of risk factors places an older adult at elevated risk for suicide. These factors can be remembered as the Five D’s: psychiatric illness (primarily depression); functional impairment (also called disability, often associated with dependency on others); physical illness (particularly multiple comorbid diseases); social disconnectedness (including social isolation, loneliness, family conflict, and feeling like a burden); and access to lethal (deadly) means. The greatest risk occurs when multiple domains of risk converge in a given individual. Approaches to prevention can address the Five D’s. Given that older adults are reluctant to seek out mental healthcare and that standard primary care practice cannot easily provide it, models of primary care-based integrated care management for mental disorders, including in older adulthood, have been developed, rigorously tested, and widely disseminated. These models play an important role in suicide prevention by integrating treatment for physical and mental illness. Upstream, selective prevention strategies that target disconnectedness—such as engaging older adults as volunteers—may serve to reduce disconnectedness and thereby reduce suicide risk. Universal prevention strategies that involve growing the geriatric workforce may address disability by increasing older adults’ access to medical and social service providers with expertise in improving physical, cognitive, and social functioning, as well as improving quality of life. Addressing ageism and building age-friendly communities that use strategies to integrate older adults into society and promote social participation hold promise as universal prevention strategies. Ultimately, effective suicide prevention strategies for older adults must focus on improving quality of life as well as preventing suicide: strategies such as psychotherapy and medication for psychiatric disorders must be supplemented by prevention strategies for older adults give at all ages in addition to treating psychiatric disorders and suicidal thoughts is needed to address the problem of suicide in later life.

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