Experts urge suicide prevention system

Suicide has been a taboo topic in China in the past, but it is now one of the most serious problems the country must face despite its booming economy.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 marks the 11th World Suicide Prevention Day, and some Chinese experts are calling for a national suicide prevention system to reduce the suicide rate in China, which has declined drastically in recent years but remains high.

According to statistics released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009, suicides in China accounted for 26 percent of total suicides worldwide, putting it in the top five causes of death in the country.

"A variety of reasons contribute to the high suicide rate, including social, economic, cultural and environmental factors," said Xia Xueluan, professor of sociology at Peking University.

Enormous societal change, which can lead to feelings of confusion and alienation, is one of the most important reasons for the high suicide rate, Xia said, adding that people in modern society face more pressures and difficulties, which can be too much for some people.

SUICIDE HIGH AMONG ELDERLY

In recent years, the suicide rate among the elderly rose to a worrying high, more than three times higher than other age groups, according to Xiao Shuiyuan, a professor with the China Association of Mental Health.

Research from the Beijing Suicide Research and Prevention Center showed that the suicide rate among people over the age of 65 has risen sharply.

Li Baoku, president of the China Aging Development Foundation, revealed that the suicide rate of elderly living in rural areas is four to five times higher than the world average.

An investigation by the China National Committee on Ageing in 2007 showed that 18 percent of elderly in urban areas often feel lonely, while 31 percent of elderly rural residents suffered from loneliness. The investigation also indicated that 2.6 percent of elderly people in cities thought about suicide, while 4.9 percent of rural elderly thought about suicide.