BACKGROUND: The global toll of suicide is estimated to be one million lives per year, which exceeded the number of deaths by homicide and war combined. A key step to suicide prevention is to prevent less serious suicidal behaviour to preclude more lethal outcomes. Although 61% of the world's suicides take place in Asia and the suicide rates among middle age groups have been increasing since the economic crisis in many Asian countries, population-based studies of suicidal behaviour among working-age adults in non-western communities are scarce. METHOD: Data from a population-based survey with 2015 participants were used to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviour among the working-age population in Hong Kong, and to study the associated socio-economic and psychological correlates. We focused particularly on potential modulating factors between life-event-related factors and suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Six per cent of the Hong Kong population aged 20-59 years considered suicide in the past year, while 1.4% attempted suicide. Hopelessness, reasons for living, and reluctance to seek help from family and friends had direct association with past-year suicidal ideation. Reasons for living were found to moderate the effect of perceived stress on suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is a multi-faceted problem that calls for a multi-sectored, multi-layered approach to prevention. Prevention programmes can work on modulating factors such as reasons for living to reduce suicidal risk in working-age adults.
BACKGROUND: The global toll of suicide is estimated to be one million lives per year, which exceeded the number of deaths by homicide and war combined. A key step to suicide prevention is to prevent less serious suicidal behaviour to preclude more lethal outcomes. Although 61% of the world's suicides take place in Asia and the suicide rates among middle age groups have been increasing since the economic crisis in many Asian countries, population-based studies of suicidal behaviour among working-age adults in non-western communities are scarce. METHOD: Data from a population-based survey with 2015 participants were used to estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviour among the working-age population in Hong Kong, and to study the associated socio-economic and psychological correlates. We focused particularly on potential modulating factors between life-event-related factors and suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Six per cent of the Hong Kong population aged 20-59 years considered suicide in the past year, while 1.4% attempted suicide. Hopelessness, reasons for living, and reluctance to seek help from family and friends had direct association with past-year suicidal ideation. Reasons for living were found to moderate the effect of perceived stress on suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is a multi-faceted problem that calls for a multi-sectored, multi-layered approach to prevention. Prevention programmes can work on modulating factors such as reasons for living to reduce suicidal risk in working-age adults.
Authors: Matthew K Nock; Guilherme Borges; Evelyn J Bromet; Christine B Cha; Ronald C Kessler; Sing Lee Journal: Epidemiol Rev Date: 2008-07-24 Impact factor: 6.222
Authors: Wincy S C Chan; Chi Kin Law; Ka Y Liu; Paul W C Wong; Yik Wa Law; Paul S F Yip Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2008-10-04 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Joshua R Oltmanns; H Andrew Schwartz; Camilo Ruggero; Youngseo Son; Jiaju Miao; Monika Waszczuk; Sean A P Clouston; Evelyn J Bromet; Benjamin J Luft; Roman Kotov Journal: J Psychiatr Res Date: 2021-09-06 Impact factor: 4.791
Authors: Paul W C Wong; Wincy S C Chan; Eric Y H Chen; Sandra S M Chan; Y W Law; Paul S F Yip Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2008-05-01 Impact factor: 3.295