The Drum Beat 286 - Addressing Suicide

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How can communication theories, strategies, and experiences help understand and prevent suicide? This issue of The Drum Beat examines the conditions under which many suicide attempts are made, the social issues related to suicide, and some examples of prevention initiatives in different regions of the world.

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CONTEXT

1. Mental Health
According to The World Health Report 2001, every year 1 million people commit suicide, and 10 to 20 million attempt it.

2. High Suicide Rates Among Mexican Youth
A 2003 study found that suicide is the 2nd highest cause of death for Mexican youth between the ages of 15 and 19; most of the 3,200 suicides annually are of people between the ages of 11 and 20. Casa Alianza offers a 24-hour toll-free help line for those in crisis. Experts say open communication between parents and children is the single most effective means of preventing suicide.

3. The Adverse Health and Social Outcomes Of Sexual Coercion: Experiences of young women in developing countries
Studies published in 2004 found that sexually abused school-going adolescents in India reported higher rates of non-specific physical complaints including suicidal ideation. In Pakistan and Ethiopia, girls who had experienced coercion had feelings of guilt, sadness, rejection and hopelessness; some reported suicide attempts.

4. Palestinian Opinion on the Intifada - December 2001
A Dec. 2001 poll found that 64% of Palestinians surveyed support suicide attacks.

5. Child Soldiers
At any one time, more than 300,000 girls and boys under the age of 18 fight as soldiers with government armed forces and armed opposition groups in more than 30 countries worldwide. Most child soldiers suffer physical abuse and other privations; some are driven to suicide when they cannot bear the mistreatment.

THINKING

6. Methods of Suicide Among Persons Aged 10-19 Years - United States, 1992-2001
Suicide is the 13th leading cause of death worldwide, the 11th in the USA, and the 3rd among USA residents aged 10-24 years. Students who reported attempting suicide in the past year were nearly 4 times as likely to report involvement in physical fights. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's suicide prevention efforts include describing and tracking the problem of self-directed violence; evaluating and demonstrating ways to prevent suicidal behaviour; communicating scientific information about suicide prevention; and using research to increase knowledge of the risk and protective factors related to suicidal behaviour (e.g., fighting).

7. The Violence Pandemic: How Public Health Can Help Bring it Under Control
According to the WHO, 1.6 million people worldwide died as a result of violence in 2000; that same year, 3 million died from AIDS and 1.3 million died from traffic accidents. Of all violent deaths in 2000, nearly half were suicides, just under a third were homicides, and a fifth were directly related to war. A WHO official comments, "This is quite different from the picture we get from the media, where the focus is on organized forms of violence....Suicides and homicides represent a much bigger proportion of fatal violence around the world." While exploring strategies such as "healthy communities" approach, which promotes better outdoor lighting, more parks and recreation centres, and organised activities for youth, the paper concludes that "tackling violence cannot be left to the public health community alone."

8. Address on HIV/AIDS in Africa at TICAD III
by Morolake Nwagwu
"VCT [voluntary counseling and testing] can never stand alone. It will cause more problems. It will lead to despondency and make people loose [sic] the will to live. It leads to suicide and insanity. We need VCT, but in addition to that, we need the back up of care, support and treatment. Policies are man made so the government and people can revise those laws and policies."

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PROGRAMME EXPERIENCES

9. Ombetja Yehinga (The Red Ribbon) - Namibia
This initiative produces short films, plays, newsletters, and books by and for young people about sex, relationships, and HIV/AIDS. Based on a song created in 2001 by students in Outjo Secondary School, the film "The Days are So Long" tells the story of Tasha, who continues engaging in sexual activity with many boyfriends despite the advice of her brother Pandu. When she discovers she is HIV-positive, she commits suicide in front of Pandu. The message in the song performed by Pandu, in honour of another HIV-positive student who feels stigmatised and isolated, is: "Take my hand, I'm tired and lonely, Give me love, Give me hope". This song was adopted as the slogan for World AIDS Day in Namibia.
Contact Dr. Philippe Talavera philippe@ombetja.org

10. ICE: Beyond Cool - Canada
Judith Marcuse Projects produced a dance performance to address the problem of teen suicide by asking: Why do kids shut down and become "cool?" Based on 3 years of workshops conducted in Vancouver with more than 250 young people aged 15 to 18, the production featured a 15-member cast of young actors and dancers from across Canada. Integrating dance, theatre, rock music, and special effects, ICE was presented in malls and arenas with a talkback session following each performance. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for teenagers in Canada. Since 1950, the suicide rate for young males has increased by 268%; it has increased for young women by 133%. ICE was highlighted in a 1-hour film adaptation broadcast on CBC.
Contact info@jmprojects.ca

11. Youth Media Project on Suicide - Kyrgyz Republic
Using participatory processes, the Children's Media Center (CMC) in Bishkek produced articles and a video on youth suicide. In journals distributed to schools, youth organisations, and orphanages in all districts of the Kyrgyz Republic, young authors emphasised that suicide is not the way to escape one's problems. In addition, a video about suicide was aired on the youth TV programme Neboscreb (broadcast on the national channel). Following a period of fact-gathering, young CMC reporters talked with peers who had contemplated or attempted suicide and interviewed medical experts.
Contact Nuriya Djunushbekova nuriya@mail.ru

12. Listen Up! - United States
This network of over 80 organisations encourages USA youth, primarily from underserved areas, to make their voices heard in the mass media. Workshops held in 2002 involved collaboration between youth media producers, educators, and activists seeking to find solutions to problems such as suicide. Young people worked in small production teams and were given technical training by media professionals in order to produce 6 public service announcements, one of which focused on teen suicide.
Contact Tina Wieboldt tina@listenup.org

13. Cuz Congress - Australia
This "culturally appropriate" gateway to online and telephone medical and mental health services is designed for Aboriginal youth seeking help with issues related to suicide, as well as alcohol, drugs, sexual health, and relationships. The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress created a superhero character to promote awareness of these issues though personal appearances and print and electronic media. Much of the information on the Cuz Congress portal is Australia-specific, but some of its suicide prevention strategies might be applicable to any adolescent (Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal) anywhere.
Contact info@caacongress.com.au

14. Suicide Prevention - Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Sumithrayo, an NGO working under the auspices of Befrienders International, engaged in a project to prevent suicide drawing on trained volunteer communication partners visiting hospitals and homes to "listen to people who are lonely, despairing or considering suicide. They don't judge them, don't tell them what to do." At a conference to mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2004 (Sept. 10), organisers indicated that suicide rates in Sri Lanka have declined but are still high, and that one-third of Sri Lankans feeling suicidal are alcohol-dependent.
Contact sumithrayo@sltnet.lk OR international@samaritans.org

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RESOURCES
Materials

15. Before Hitting Bottom, Compassion for the Addict Down Under
by Gene & Deborah Dupre Wheeler
The book explores differing USA, Australian, and Swedish approaches to counseling those addicted to alcohol and other drugs. It includes detailed charts for signs of the following: child predisposition to addiction, adolescents' substance abuse, depression, suicide-predisposing factors, suicidal behaviour, and eminent suicide.

16. Research and Consultation among Young People on Mental Health Issues
Research was conducted in Australia to evaluate the National Mental Health Strategy and the National Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy. One notable finding was that schools, the media, and families are important avenues for information and support for young people. The report highlights the need for health and education services to work to understand mental health issues specific to young people.

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This issue was written by Kier Olsen DeVries.

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The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

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