The Goan: Goa witnessed over 15 suicides in the last month.What is your reaction?
VP: The pattern of suicides in Goa is similar to that of otherstates, for example, nearly half of all suicides occur in young adults in whichage group women and men are equally at risk. But it’s very different from theWest where suicide is much more common in older people and in men.
TG: Which factors contribute towards suicides?
VP: In the West 90%of people commit suicide due to mental illness while in India its about 50%mental illness and 50% social factors. The most common social factors for womenare relationship issues, domestic violence, being forced into marriage etc. Formen it’s mostly related to insecurity of work, insecurity of income and debts.The most common mental health problem is depression, and in addition in men,alcohol problems.
TG: What is the problem with Goa due to which suicides are common?
VP: A major problem is that we have not recognized suicideas public health problem. At present it’s treated mostly as a social problem atthe level of the individual. In the West suicide rates have been down by morethan 60% in the past 20 years, almost entirely due to the public healthapproach taken by the efforts of government.
Secondly Goa has beenexperiencing very rapid social change in the past decade which increases therisk of stress while at the same time reducing the social safety nets forpeople who are facing difficulties in their daily lives. Third, alcohol abuse is another importantfactor which adds to domestic violence and the ill-health and we have no publichealth approach to this problem either.
TG: Will proper legislation help?
VP: The firstapproach in a public health policy should be mandatory reporting of suicideattempts not only by government but also by private hospitals. Second, we needpublic health approaches to restricting the sale and storage of pesticides.Third, we need to improve access to care for depression and alcohol problemsand a public health approach to reducing alcohol abuse in our community.Finally, we need to build resilience in young people in schools, for e.g.through a school counselor led life skills and counseling services in allschools.
TG: Does the state have a strategy against suicides?
VP: There is no strategy against suicides in the State. Wehave enough knowledge to guide and develop a strategy. At this point the key ispolitical will that is needed to implement a state level suicide preventionstrategy, which has to be led by the government.
