Citation

Takashi Utsunomiya. An Official Journal of the Japan Primary Care Association 2011; 215-225.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

 The annual suicide rate in the town of Kumakogen (population 100,000), in Ehime Prefecture, is 67.7-very high in a country whose average suicide rate is 24.4, and in a prefecture with a rate of 27.1. Recognizing that it is important to reduce the suicide rate, we decided to initiate suicide prevention measures in 2007. We considered that cooperation with local doctors was the most important approach to take because Kumakogen had no psychiatrists. We obtained the cooperation of the Medical Association of the nearby town of Kamiukena, the Ehime Body and Mental Health Center, and the Matsuyama Public Health Center, and began the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention procedures. Through this activity, the medical, nursing, welfare, and administration networks for the anti-suicide campaign have been established.

Language: ja