Sat, Sep 11, 2010 page8

• EDITORIAL : Everyone can help prevent suicides

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  Yesterday was World Suicide Prevention Day. In Taiwan, suicide has been the ninth-leading cause of death for more than a decade, with a national high of 4,406 suicides reached in 2006.

  One survey of suicide trends in Taiwan was done by Lin Jin-jia (林進嘉) and Lu Tsung-hsueh (呂宗學) for an article published in BMC Public Health (an online journal) in 2008. They reviewed suicide trends between 1971 and 2005 and found that suicide rates for both men and women declined between 1971 and 1993 and then began to rise. The steepest increase was seen in males aged between 25 and 64, which they said could be partly attributed to a rise in unemployment.

  The WHO says a majority of suicides can be prevented, but it takes a concerted effort on a national, local and personal level. Among the steps it suggests are restricting access to lethal means, establishing community prevention programs and guidelines for media reporting on suicides and broadening training programs for frontline professionals such as teachers, social workers and general physicians.

  Taiwan has begun to take action, but much more should be done, which is why it was good to see the nation’s leaders pledging support on Monday for a national campaign to prevent suicides.

  In 2005, the Executive Yuan established the Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center, which provides a 24-hour hotline service. The Department of Health said in June that more than 61,000 people called the hotline last year, an increase of 27 percent over 2008. Department officials say the hotline prevented just over 300 suicides last year and called for emergency services in 143 cases. The hotline is working, but it is still only reaching a fraction of those in need.

  The hotline number and health warnings are now printed on packages of charcoal, and in February the Department of Health said six supermarket chains and four convenience store chains had agreed to cooperate in suicide-prevention efforts by flagging unusual purchases of charcoal.

  President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said on Monday his administration would work to boost the economy and create jobs. He said children must be taught to cherish life and he also urged people to exercise more.

  While economic and financial pressures have been cited in many suicides, more jobs and exercise alone won’t help. Many people who attempt or succeed in committing suicide are struggling with depression, which makes it hard for them to even reach out for help. Not only is there still a social stigma attached to seeking help for depression or other psychological problems, there aren’t enough trained specialists to provide assistance.

  According to the Association of Taiwan Clinical Psychologists Web site, as of June 2008 there were a total of 751 clinical psychologists in Taiwan, including 600 active practitioners. Two-thirds of them work in hospitals and the rest in schools, communities, prisons or their own clinics. Clearly, more are needed. In the meantime, schools, doctors and the media must do more to educate people to recognize the warning signs and tell them where to seek help.

  The media can also help by reducing sensationalist coverage of individual suicides — which probably reached a nadir with the frenzy over the death of comedian Ni Min-jan (倪敏然) in April 2005 — or of suicide clusters like the ones at Foxconn’s Shenzhen facility earlier this year. Suicide should be treated as a public health issue, but unfortunately the thirst for ratings still appears to outweigh social mores for many Taiwanese media outlets.

  Suicides create a ripple effect. The loss of a life has a profound impact on the family, friends and colleagues left behind. The medical and societal costs of a failed attempt are equally profound. Everyone can and should play a part in trying to prevent suicide. Let’s hope that by the time the next World Suicide Prevention Day rolls around, and in the years after, Taiwan can mark the day with a reduction in its suicide statistics.
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