Citation

Snowdon J, Chen YY, Zhong B, Yamauchi T. Asian J. Psychiatry 2017; 31: 15-20.

Affiliation

Research Center for Overwork-related Disorders, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kawasaki, Japan. Electronic address: Yamat.fw@gmail.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajp.2017.11.020

PMID

29306726

Abstract

Suicide data relating to 1979-2014 were obtained from three East Asian jurisdictions (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan) and two 'Western' countries (Australia, New Zealand). Rates and age patterns of suicide have changed markedly since 1979. Graphs of these patterns largely remained either upward-sloping, bimodal or flat (uniform) over the 36 years, male commonly differing from female, and East Asian patterns more like each other than those of the Western countries. Japan's male middle-aged suicide rate reached a peak in 1999-2003, which, like increased rates among working age males in Hong Kong and Taiwan, has been attributed largely to consequences of Asian financial crises. Male to female ratios of suicide rates have remained higher in the Western countries, but late life suicide rates have decreased to varying extents in all five jurisdictions. Identifying reasons for differences between jurisdictions in their suicide rates and patterns at particular times, and over time, is likely to point to factors (period, cohort, psychosocial or cultural) that protect against or foster suicidal ideation. This avenue of research may assist in identifying ways of preventing suicide.

Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

Keywords

suicide rates age gender Asia Western