Mortality among the Russian working-age population from suicide: official and actual rates

Purpose of the study is to assess suicide-related loss of the Russian working-age population in the 2000s and extent of its possible under-reporting. Analysis is based on Rosstat data on deaths among the Russian working-age population (15-59 years) calculated in FAISS-Potential, as well as data on mortality from suicide in the “old” and “new” European Union (EU) (before and after May 2004) from the European mortality database. Officially, mortality from suicide among the working-age population decreased at 3.4 fold in males and 2.9 in females, far exceeding the rate of decline in the overall mortality from external causes which equaled to 2.6 times in males and 2.5 in females in 2000-2018. Currently, the Russian mortality from suicide is multifold higher than the “old” EU one across all working ages and higher than the “new” EU one among population aged up to 45 years only. The rate of decline in mortality from event of undetermined intent among working-age population was lower compared to suicide, adding up to 14.2% and 11.6% vs 3.4 and 2.9-fold. And the Russia's such loss compared to the “new” EU one was about 10-fold in both males and females across all working ages. With a high degree of probability, “events of undetermined intent” are likely to be latent suicides. Conclusions Official mortality from suicide among working-age population decreased at extremely high rate with linear trends. A significant share of suicide mortality is latent and is counted as events of undetermined intent. With a high degree of probability, latent suicides cover hanging, jumping/falling from a high place, and drug poisoning of undetermined intent. The trend in loss due to latent suicide is negative. The share of latent events among actual suicide-related loss in 2010s steadily increased, exceeding one third in males and reaching 50% in females in 2018. Currently, mortality from suicide is likely to exceed the Rosstat indicators by 60% in males and over 2-fold in females. Key messages In the 2000s, the official mortality from suicide among the Russian working-age population decreased at an extremely high rate with linear trends. The share of latent events among the actual suicide-related loss in the 2010s steadily increased, exceeding one third in males in 2018 and reaching 50% in females.

Principles for pastoral guidance to women on matters related to suicide

According to SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) there are 23 suicides and 230 serious suicide attempts in South Africa every day. The dynamics of suicide is highly complex and there are no simple explanations or easy answers. The SADAG article shows that suicidal thoughts during times of crisis are much more common than the average person would care to admit. Believers are no exception. Suicide offers an inviting escape from difficult circumstances to a desperate person. As such, suicide confronts the pastoral counsellor with a stressful and terrifying challenge. This article explores pastoral principles that can help a counsellor provide guidance to women on matters related to suicide and offers information on suicide in three parts. The first part of the article investigates the implications of suicidal thoughts or attempts and the effect of an actual suicide on the people who remain behind. The second part examines how the church’s views on suicide have changed over the centuries. The third and final part applies the outcomes of the first two sections to offer guidelines for current-day pastoral guidance to women based on scientific research into the field of practical theology.Pastorale beginsels vir die begeleiding van vroue ten opsigte van selfmoord. Volgens SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) is daar daagliks 23 selfmoordgevalle en 230 ernstige selfmoordpogings in Suid-Afrika. Die dinamiek rondom selfmoord is hoogs kompleks en daar bestaan geen eenvoudige verduidelikings en maklike antwoorde hieromtrent nie. Die SADAG-artikel toon aan dat selfmoordgedagtes in krisistye baie meer algemeen is as wat die deursnee mens sou wou erken. Dit is ook geen uitsondering by gelowiges nie. Vir die desperate persoon kan dit selfs ’n aanloklike uitkoms in moeilike omstandighede wees. Vir die pastorale berader is hierdie kwessie ’n stresvolle en vreesaanjaende uitdaging. Hierdie artikel stel ondersoek in na pastorale beginsels wat van belang is vir die begeleiding van vroue ten opsigte van selfmoord, en bied inligting rondom die kwessie in drie dele aan. Eerstens is daar ’n ondersoek na die implikasies van selfmoordgedagtes en -pogings sowel as die effek van so ’n daad op die mense wat agterbly. Tweedens word die kerk se verskillende opvattings deur die eeue ten opsigte van selfmoord bespreek; en derdens word die bevindings van eersgenoemde twee dele aan die hand van wetenskaplike navorsing in die pastorale begeleiding aan vroue ondersoek.

Depression and Suicide in Early Onset Schizophrenia

PurposeSuicide is a major cause of death in adolescents with first-episode schizophrenia (FES). We compared suicide-related traits between subjects with FES and with other psychopathologies in order to evaluate risk factors for suicidal behavior.Subjects and methodsTwenty-five inpatient adolescents with FES and a control group of 28 psychiatric inpatients matched for gender and age were assessed for depression, anger, criminal behavior, aggression, and suicidal ideation, risk and potential.ResultsThe adolescents with FES had significantly lower depression (p=0.003) anger (p=0.025) and criminal behavior (p=0.022) than did the controls. However, while suicide ideation was greater in the subjects with FES (p=0.003), suicide risk was significantly lower than controls (p=0.004).DiscussionDecreased levels of both depression and anger as part of affective constriction in the schizophrenia group could explain why the increased suicide ideation did not lead to a higher suicide risk in these inpatients.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of distinguishing between suicidal ideation and actual suicide risk. We demonstrated that thoughts of suicide do not necessarily translate into an actual risk of suicidal behavior in adolescents with schizophrenia.

For Whom is Suicide Accepted: The Dependency Effect

Research has found that people accept some suicides more than others. The present study examined whether attitudes toward a person's suicide are affected by the suicide's gender or marital status, and whether the suicide is a parent or childless. Respondents read one of eight fictitious suicide case stories, in which the above-mentioned variables were manipulated, and then completed the Suicide Attitudes and Attribution Scale (SAAS). It was found that female and male respondents differed in their attitudes toward a person's suicidal behavior to some degree. A parent's suicide was viewed more negatively than a suicide by a childless person. A tendency for respondents to express more respect for a suicide of their own gender was also detected. It is discussed whether differences in acceptance of suicide can be associated with actual suicide rates.