STRATEGIES OF SUICIDE-PREVENTION - FOCUS ON HEALTH-CARE

Authors
Citation
Z. Rihmer, STRATEGIES OF SUICIDE-PREVENTION - FOCUS ON HEALTH-CARE, Journal of affective disorders, 39(2), 1996, pp. 83-91
Citations number
63
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Psychiatry,"Clinical Neurology
ISSN journal
01650327
Volume
39
Issue
2
Year of publication
1996
Pages
83 - 91
Database
ISI
SICI code
0165-0327(1996)39:2<83:SOS-FO>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
Suicide is a major health problem, showing an increasing tendency in m any developed countries. In this synthetic review, having briefly desc ribed the possible risk factors of suicide, those recent strategies th at have been proved to be effective methods of reducing the suicide ra te are summarised. Psychiatric illness, first of all the affective dis orders (particularly in the case of a previous suicide attempt), are t he most powerful predictors of this manner of death. Early recognition and appropriate treatment of affective and other psychiatric disorder s, as well as aftercare of persons with a high suicidal risk are, cons equently, the most successful methods of preventing suicide. Training health-care workers in order to increase their knowledge on the means of suicide prevention and educating patients so as to improve their co mpliance is highly beneficial. Since health care professionals can hel p only those patients who contact them, public education on the sympto ms, dangers and the treatable nature of depression, other psychiatric illnesses and psychological crises becomes also very important.