Age, period, cohort trends of suicide in Japan and Korea (1986–2015): A tale of two countries

Can Financial Support Reduce Suicide Mortality Rates?

“…These data were published between 2009 and 2014 [4,6]; further data were unavailable from the MHLW [6]. Although the 10-year survey period (2009–2018) does not exactly coincide with the six-year funding period (2009–2014), previous research found that the suicide mortality rate response in Japan needed several years following exposure to severe risk factors [2,16]. A statistical analysis of the relationship between prefectural suicide mortality rates and the emergency fund was conducted based on suicide prevention programme regional execution amounts (REAs) despite the inconsistency between survey and funding periods.…”

“…Until the early 1990s, suicide mortality amongst Japanese males (17–18 per 100,000 population) was lower than that of European males. However, following the collapse of the asset bubble in 1991 and immediately following the 1997 Asian economic crisis, suicide mortality in Japan rose to more than 30,000 deaths in 1998 (at maximum, 40.1 deaths per 100,000 males in 2003) [2,3]. In the face of this public health crisis the Japanese government enacted the ‘Basic Act on Suicide Prevention’ [4] in 2006, and the ‘General Policies for Comprehensive Measures against Suicide’ in 2007 [4].…”

“…In the face of this public health crisis the Japanese government enacted the ‘Basic Act on Suicide Prevention’ [4] in 2006, and the ‘General Policies for Comprehensive Measures against Suicide’ in 2007 [4]. In 2012, the government introduced a ‘Second Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Policy’ and approved a budget of over $216 million per year to support suicide prevention activities (Figure 1A) [2,4,5]. Based on this financial support, the comprehensive suicide prevention programme, which gathered the most up-to-date information on suicide prevention research, introduced a system for the early detection of high-risk individuals, targeted medical service delivery to such individuals, and supported suicide survivors.…”

“…Until 2003, the South Korean suicide mortality rate was lower than that of Japan. However, after 2006 and the introduction of the ‘Basic Act on Suicide Prevention’, the Japanese suicide mortality rate dropped below that of South Korea [2]. Indeed, in 2017, financial assistance for suicide prevention programmes in South Korea was approximately $16.8 million, when compared to $687 million in Japan (Figure 1A) [2,4,5,10].…”

Emerging directions in the study of the environmental determinants of mental health: commentary on the MINDMAP Project

“…Peter James , 1,2 Ichiro Kawachi 3 The study of environmental determinants of health is at a crossroads. Harmonised health data across cohorts followed over decades, novel technologies to gather information on health behaviours and location data, and high-resolution spatial data on environmental factors have made it possible for researchers to unearth insights and relationships never before possible.…”