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Suicide is the leading cause of one in 100,000 deaths globally

By on June 18, 2021

The high number of people taking their lives has become a serious global public health issue.

The latest report by World Health Organization (WHO) published today in ‘Suicide worldwide in 2019′, estimates that more people die by suicide than HIV, malaria or breast cancer  or war and homicide.

An overwhelming number of more than 700,000 people took their own lives in 2019 prior to the pandemic. The one-in-every-100 deaths (1.3%) is enough data for WHO to step in and produce new guidance to help countries all over the world improve its suicide prevention and care.

In January this year, Japan’s Health Ministry reported 20,919 deaths by suicide in 2020 (preliminary data), an increase by 3.7% from 2019.

The global age-standardized suicide rate (number of suicides in a country in a year, divided by the WHO standard population and multiplied by 100,000), globally was higher in males (12.6 years per 100,000) than in females (5.4 per 100,000). The highest rates in countries were above 10 years old for females  and above 45 per 100,000 males.

According to the report, the number of males who died by suicide is 2.3 times higher than in females. While the ratio was a little over 3 in high-income countries, it was lower in low- and middle-income countries (low-income countries: 2.9; lower-middle-income countries: 1.8; upper-middle-income countries: 2.6).

HOW CAN WE PREVENT SUICIDES?

The LIVE LIFE guidelines released by WHO is centered on four strategies:

  1. Banning the most dangerous pesticides: a high-impact interventionGiven that pesticide poisoning is estimated to cause 20% of all suicides, and national bans of acutely toxic, highly hazardous pesticides have shown to be cost-effective, such bans are recommended by WHO. Other measures include restricting access to firearms, reducing the size of medication packages, and installing barriers at jump sites.
  2. Responsible reporting by the media The guide highlights the role the media plays in relation to suicide. Media reports of suicide can lead to a rise in suicide due to imitation (or copycat suicides) – especially if the report is about a celebrity or describes the method of suicide.The new guide advises monitoring of the reporting of suicide and suggests that media counteract reports of suicide with stories of successful recovery from mental health challenges or suicidal thoughts. It also recommends working with social media companies to increase their awareness and improve their protocols for identifying and removing harmful content.
  3. Support for adolescentsAdolescence (10-19 years of age) is a critical period for acquiring socio-emotional skills, particularly since half of mental health conditions appear before 14 years of age. The LIVE LIFE guidance encourages actions including mental health promotion and anti-bullying programmes, links to support services and clear protocols for people working in schools and universities when suicide risk is identified.
  4. Early identification and follow-up of people at risk Early identification, assessment, management and follow-up applies to people who have attempted suicide or are perceived to be at risk. A previous suicide attempt is one of the most important risk factors for a future suicide.  Health-care workers should be trained in early identification, assessment, management and follow-up. Survivors’ groups of people bereaved by suicide can complement support provided by health services. Crisis services should also be available to provide immediate support to individuals in acute distress.

The new guidance, which includes examples of suicide prevention interventions implemented across the world, in countries such as Australia, Ghana, Guyana, India, Iraq, the Republic of Korea, Sweden and the USA, can be used by anyone who is in interested in implementing suicide prevention activities, whether at national or local level, and in governmental and nongovernmental sectors alike.

“While a comprehensive national suicide prevention strategy should be the ultimate goal for all governments,” said Dr. Alexandra Fleischmann, suicide prevention expert at the World Health Organization, “starting suicide prevention with LIVE LIFE interventions can save lives and prevent the heartbreak that follows for those left behind.”

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