Suicide is a national public health problem that requires immediate action, as over
4,000 people in Nepal die each year by deliberately taking their own life. Not only is suicide the leading cause of death among women in our country, but this problem contributes to increased health care costs, loss of production at work, as well as severe emotional and financial burdens for families and communities. The most salient risk factors for suicide in Nepal are mental illness, poverty, and a lack of awareness and social stigma surrounding the issue. This problem can be combatted by increasing funding for mental health related initiatives in Nepal (which currently amounts to less than 1% of the national health budget), such as the decentralization …show more content…
For nearly two decades, studies undertaken by the Department of Health Services have maintained that suicide is the leading cause of death among women in our country. Since the last Maternal Mortality and Morbidity report was published in 2009, suicide has been recognized as a national public health problem. However, incidence of suicide is widely underestimated. Attempted suicide is illegal in Nepal and highly stigmatized, often going unreported for fear of legal consequences and social rejection.
Apart from increased mortality by the thousands, the economic consequences of high suicide rates include greater health care costs and loss of production at work. Attempted suicide is expensive due to the utilization of health services to treat the injury, the long term disability due to the injury, as well as the psychological and social impact on the individual and his or her community. The thousands of working individuals who die as a result of suicide render a loss of production and human capital that causes severe economic instability in the workplace, from agriculture to …show more content…
Research has consistently shown a strong link between suicide and mental disorders, with 90% of the people who die by suicide having an existing mental illness, diagnosed or undiagnosed, at the time of their death. Depression, mental and emotional distress, and low mood are most often used to describe mental states that heighten risk for suicide, however a wide range of mental states, illnesses, and trauma can trigger suicidal ideation and intent. With at least 25-30% of Nepal’s general population struggling with one or more mental disorders, 1 in 4 citizens can already find themselves at increased risk for
4,000 people in Nepal die each year by deliberately taking their own life. Not only is suicide the leading cause of death among women in our country, but this problem contributes to increased health care costs, loss of production at work, as well as severe emotional and financial burdens for families and communities. The most salient risk factors for suicide in Nepal are mental illness, poverty, and a lack of awareness and social stigma surrounding the issue. This problem can be combatted by increasing funding for mental health related initiatives in Nepal (which currently amounts to less than 1% of the national health budget), such as the decentralization …show more content…
For nearly two decades, studies undertaken by the Department of Health Services have maintained that suicide is the leading cause of death among women in our country. Since the last Maternal Mortality and Morbidity report was published in 2009, suicide has been recognized as a national public health problem. However, incidence of suicide is widely underestimated. Attempted suicide is illegal in Nepal and highly stigmatized, often going unreported for fear of legal consequences and social rejection.
Apart from increased mortality by the thousands, the economic consequences of high suicide rates include greater health care costs and loss of production at work. Attempted suicide is expensive due to the utilization of health services to treat the injury, the long term disability due to the injury, as well as the psychological and social impact on the individual and his or her community. The thousands of working individuals who die as a result of suicide render a loss of production and human capital that causes severe economic instability in the workplace, from agriculture to …show more content…
Research has consistently shown a strong link between suicide and mental disorders, with 90% of the people who die by suicide having an existing mental illness, diagnosed or undiagnosed, at the time of their death. Depression, mental and emotional distress, and low mood are most often used to describe mental states that heighten risk for suicide, however a wide range of mental states, illnesses, and trauma can trigger suicidal ideation and intent. With at least 25-30% of Nepal’s general population struggling with one or more mental disorders, 1 in 4 citizens can already find themselves at increased risk for