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Abstract
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Suicide has long been a significant global public health issue. Annually, approximately 800,000 individuals succumb to suicide worldwide, resulting in more fatalities than those caused by malaria, breast cancer, or war and homicide (1). A striking 79% of these suicide-related deaths transpire in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (1). Remarkably, suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death among young individuals aged 15-29 years for both males and females, with 90% of adolescents who died by suicide originating from LMICs (1).
Addressing the critical issue of suicide, the United Nations has prioritized the reduction of suicide mortality as an integral component (Indicator 3.4.2) of Target 3.4 within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The specific goal, "By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and well-being," places emphasis on the importance of lowering the suicide mortality rate (Indicator 3.4.2) (2).
As the most populous LMIC in the world, China faces significant challenges related to suicide. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), the crude suicide rate in China was 9.7 per 100,000 population in 2016 (1). To promote suicide prevention in this region, the China CDC Weekly has published a specific issue featuring three insightful articles on the subject.
Using mortality data from the Chinese Health Statistical Yearbook and population data from the 2010 and 2020 Chinese National Population Census, Zhao et al. (3) examined suicide mortality by location, sex, and age group in China during 2010-2021 and reported a substantial decrease in the overall age-standardized suicide mortality rate, dropping from 10.88 to 5.25 per 100,000 population. In addition to reporting roughly similar reductions in subgroup suicide mortality rates by sex and location (urban vs. rural area), this study identified strikingly inconsistent mortality changes across age groups -- large suicide mortality declines among three older age groups (25-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65 years or older) versus a significant increase in the youngest age group (5-14 years) and minimal change in the 15-24 years age group. These findings suggest a probable overall success of suicide prevention efforts in China over the past decade but indicate that current suicide prevention measures may not adequately address specific populations at risk, particularly for younger age groups (5-14 years and 15-24-years)...
Language: en |