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Suicide Rates Increase by 40% in Japan
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For the ninth straight year, suicides have surpassed 30,000. Researchers have stated that there is dire need to establish programs or other kinds of measures to prevent people from committing suicide. They have pointed out that the reasons people are taking their lives are not well understood, however medical attention and social support are very important factors in prevention.
Beginning in 2003, the university’s research team has interviewed approximately 554 survivors, who consisted of 222 men and 332 women that were all taken to the hospital for suicide attempts.
According to their research, 48.1 percent of survivors said that this was their first suicide attempt and 41.8 percent said that they had tried before. Of those who had at least attempted once, 21.8 percent said they had tried only once before and 20 percent said they had tried more than twice.
Of the survivors analyzed 73.4 percent were found to have lived with their family, and nearly 80 percent suffered mental illnesses, such as depression or adjustment disorders.
Drug overdoses count for 47.7 percent of suicides, jumping to death and cutting oneself counts for about 14 percent each. At 22 percent, poor health is the main reason for suicide, in addition to relationships and economic problems.
By age, individuals in their 20’s count for 28.6 percent of attempts and those in their 30’s count for 24.7 percent followed by those in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.
The university team found that approximately 50 percent of suicide survivors later go on to kill themselves, no matter what cause or age.
"During hospitalization, experts must help survivors and their families," says Associate Professor Chiaki Kawanishi. "And we need a system capable of making welfare services available to help such people after they leave the hospital."
Kawanishi is in the process of working with the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to compile guidelines to help such people.
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