Primary Health Care. Suicide Prevention Proposal. Santiago del Estero. Argentina

Abstract

Background and aimSuicide is a serious and growing problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, for each death there are twenty attempts on record. Every year over 800,000 people commit suicide, that is, one in every forty. 45% of the people who commit suicide visit their Primary Health Care physician in the previous month. Seventy-five percent of suicides take place in countries with medium or low income and Argentine heads the suicide rate in Latin America. In the last twenty years the death by suicides rate in young people (aged 15–35) and has decreased in older age groups (+ 55), which historically presented the highest rates. In the inner zone of the province of Santiago del Estero, suicides have increased among teenagers [1].AimsTo know suicide statistics in young people in the last decade so that a prevention scheme can be produced.MethodsDescriptive observational study.ResultsIn the province of Santiago del Estero suicides occur more frequently among young people, aged 15–35, and the rate has increased significantly in the inner zone of the province.ConclusionsThe analysis carried out reveal that this problem in increasing in our province and it requires analysis and consensus in order to design a model of Primary Health Care Prevention.Disclosure of InterestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of no competing interest.