Global Suicide Rates Research Articles

In This Issue

In This Issue

Analysis of a National Toll Free Suicide Crisis Line in South Africa

The first national toll free suicide crisis line for South Africa was launched in October 2003 with the aim of providing a service dedicated to the prevention of suicide in this country. The intervention was motivated by South Africa's suicide rate which had risen higher than the global suicide rate, with the majority of attempted suicides occurring among people younger than 35 years of age (WHO, 2002). Demographic characteristics of callers were identified to evaluate the perceived helpfulness of this crisis line, so as to inform planning and implementation of future suicide prevention programs. Results showed that the majority of callers were female; between the ages of 16 and 18 years; and lived in the provinces of Gauteng, North West, or KwaZulu Natal. Callers were more likely to be from urban than rural areas; were still at school, unemployed, or studying at a tertiary institution; and had not previously attempted suicide. The majority of participants did perceive the crisis line as helpful. The continued collection of demographic data from the crisis line is recommended so that South Africa can create an updated database of areas and sectors of the population that require suicide intervention, and for planning and implementing suicide prevention programs in this country.

Trends and dynamics of youth suicides in developing countries

Global suicide rates have been fluctuating over recent decades decreasing in developed countries such as the USA countries in the European Union and Japan and increasing in eastern Europe especially in Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union Sri Lanka and China. What appears to be common in the countries that had increasing suicide rates is the sociocultural upheaval brought about by changes in the political and economic system leading to free markets and open society. One striking aspect of the suicide rates in southern India is a higher suicide rate in girls than boys which has also been observed in China and Singapore. The question of whether the politico-economical and sociocultural upheaval affects the younger population especially girls more than other groups is an important area for further study. However one can surmise that intergenerational and gender conflicts are more intense in a traditional agricultural society transforming into an egalitarian industrial society than in stable developed countries. March 1 issues of both Time and Newsweek magazines covered outsourcing of jobs from the USA to India and the accompanying socioeconomic and cultural changes. A report from Sri Lanka which has the highest national suicide rate in the world described possible reasons for high suicide rates: conflicts between collectivism and individualism rigid hierarchical structure repressive education and influence of foreign culture through cinema and television. (excerpt)