Citation

Ohta R. Br. J. Gen. Pract. 2023; 73(732): e478-e485.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Royal College of General Practitioners)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

I have read, with great respect, the research titled "Recent GP consultation before death by suicide in middle-aged males: a national consecutive case series study."1 This research clarified that middle-aged patients committed suicide tend to use medical care, especially general practitioners. Although general practitioners do their best for their patients' management, the last time the prevention of their suicide can be in the interactions between general practitioners and middle-aged people with various psychosocial stressors.

In rural Japanese, suicide in socially isolated middle-aged males increase in numbers because of a decrease in the marriage rate and an increase in caregiver burden. As this study shows, not only mental burdens in jobs but also psychological and physical burdens in private lives can impinge on socially isolated middle-aged males' lives, increasing the risk of suicide.1 Especially in rural Japanese, the trend is progressing because of aging societies.2 As a family physician in rural Japanese, I have experienced various suicide cases with multiple initial symptoms among middle-aged males because of the psychological and physical burdens of caregiving. As family physicians, encountering middle-aged males with multiple vague symptoms in primary care settings should be a chance to gate openings for preventing suicide in rural communities and collaboration among various medical and community professionals.

Language: en