J Korean Med Assoc.  2019 Feb;62(2):79-84. 10.5124/jkma.2019.62.2.79.

How to approach to suicide prevention

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. hancs@korea.ac.kr

Abstract

In early 2018, the National Action Plan for Preventing Suicide was announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and related ministries. The Action Plan presents a realistic goal of reducing suicide mortality to two-thirds of the present level, which would make it 1.4 times higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average (in contrast to current circumstances, in which it is 2.4 times higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average). Several public and private organizations are engaged in various suicide prevention activities. However, it is crucial for a seamless network to be formed, including government organizations, medical institutions, private organizations, and religious organizations. In medical settings, it is imperative that clinicians assess patients' risk of depression or suicide and arrange for a referral service. We need to connect modern social trends with classical mental health treatment modalities by using technologies such as smartphones and the internet. Strategies for research and development and for actual implementation must be established. Suicide prevention requires the active cooperation of not only mental health professionals, but also all physicians and health professionals. Experts in philosophy, sociology, economics, religion, and anthropology must also collaborate to find ways of affirming the importance of human life.

Keyword

Suicide prevention; Approach; Loneliness

MeSH Terms

Anthropology
Depression
Health Occupations
Humans
Internet
Loneliness
Mental Health
Mortality
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development
Philosophy
Referral and Consultation
Smartphone
Sociology
Suicide*

Figure

  • Figure 1 Basic paradigm of National Action Plan for suicide prevention.

  • Figure 2 Action diagram for suicide prevention.


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