Suicide Prevention Strategies in response to economic Crisis: experiences from Hong Kong Paul Yip HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention The University of Hong Kong for the International meeting on Suicide Prevention in Taipei 13th May, 2010.
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Suicide Prevention Strategies in response to economic Crisis: experiences from Hong Kong Paul Yip HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention The.
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Suicide Prevention Strategies in response to economic Crisis: experiences from Hong Kong
Paul Yip HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and PreventionThe University of Hong Kongfor the International meeting on Suicide Prevention in Taipei13th May, 2010.
27% of decrease from 2003 to 2008(Hong Kong)
Charcoal burning suicide
First case of charcoal-burning suicide in Hong Kong, 1998
Picture of the deceased and specific details of suicide method
9 more cases in the following month
Charcoal-burning accounted for 24.8% of all the overall suicide cases.
Suicidal risk in Hong Kong employed and unemployed populations ( vs. overall population ) Year 2002-2006 Relative Risk 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
( 95% CI) Employed population
Men Suicidal risk
0.4 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5
(0.4,0.5)
(0.5,0.6) (0.4,0.6) (0.5,0.6) (0.4,0.6)
Women Suicidal risk
0.5 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.5
(0.4,0.6)
(0.5,0.7) (0.3,0.5) (0.4,0.6) (0.4,0.6)
Unemployed population
Men Suicidal risk
6.4 5.8 6.2 7.5 10.4
(5.7,7.3)
(5.1,6.5) (5.4,7.2) (6.4,8.7) (9.0,12.0)
Women Suicidal risk
6 8.6 10.9 13.8 21.0
(4.5,7.7)
(7.0,10.6) (8.9,13.3)
(11.3,16.8)
(17.3,25.2)
Factors that differentiate the unemployed suicide deaths and controls
Chan, W. S., Yip, P. S., Wong, P. W., & Chen, E. Y. (2007). Suicide and Unemployment: What are the Missing Links? Archives of Suicide Research, 11, 327-335
A series of lawsuits for suicide from over work have been filed since 1990’s.
Suicide rate among now-employed group
Type of occupation 1990-1994 1999-2003
suicide case (N) rate suicide case (N) rate
High M 55 2.31 278 8.48
F 23 2.25 109 6.13
Middle M 230 10.93 212 10.58
F 110 4.47 156 5.00
Low M 233 5.50 420 11.02
F 38 2.26 89 4.38
Working group M 518 5.94 910 10.00
F 153 2.97 354 5.11
Overall (15 – 59) M 1381 13.90 2432 21.80
F 900 9.57 1246 10.49
Source: Census 1991, 2001; By-census 1996, 2006. Census and Statistic Department
Proportion of Unemployment Rate in Youth(Age 15-29)
Medical cost of deliberate self-harm (Estimation: average 3.1 days in 2008)
How many people in HK have thought about killing themselves?
Suicidality Aged 15-59
(N = 2,220)
Aged 15-19
(N = 715)
Life-time suicidal ideation 28.4% 28.1%
Past-year suicidal ideation 6.5% 6.2%
Had made a plan of attempting suicide
2.3% 3.1%
Had made past-year suicide attempt(s)
1.7% 2.8%
Had made a suicide attempt in the past year that required medical care
0.2% 0.3%
*8.98% of the response suffers from serious depression symptoms in general
Definition of Mental Health
The World Health Organization defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”.
Employed: mental health among workers are important
Our local unemployed individuals are not benefiting from the recovery of Hong Kong economy. Even worse, their risks for suicide are markedly increased.
A public health approach
Universal:
To raise awareness about suicide prevention in the general population
Family and/or community support system are essential
Mass media contagious effect: self fulfilling prophency To provide training for gate-keepers and develop effective intervention programs to facilitate early identification and efficacious treatment of suicidal behaviour
Restriction of means
Selective: Some particular high risk groups, mental health patients, unemployed, persons on parole, family and social support
The use of the Geographical Information system to track down high risk districts and deploy appropriate resources to tackle the problem.
A community network is an effective one how to mobilize the resources within the district, The local council, police, hospital, NGOs and school to work together.
Indicative: To improve service provision for people at high risk of suicide, suicide attempts and discharge mental patients.