SPECIAL REPORT: Suicide and the Pinoy Youth

Published (GMA News) July 17, 2015 8:38pm

By Carmela G. Lapeña

In countries like the Philippines where mental health is rarely discussed, it usually takes a high-
profile case before people begin talking about suicide and depression. There are only a few studies
on suicide, but those that exist all show the need for better data, and more importantly, a national
prevention program. Suicide is the second leading cause of death globally among people 15 to 29
years of age, according to the 2014 global report on preventing suicide by the World Health
Organization. In the Philippines, the estimated number of suicides in 2012 was 2,558 (550 female,
2009 male), according to the same report. Meanwhile, the age-standardized suicide rate (per
100,000) in 2012 was 2.9 for both sexes - a 13.5 percent increase from 2.6 in 2000. For females, there
was a 13 percent decrease from 1.4 in 2000 to 1.2 in 2012. For males, there was a 24.4 increase from
3.9 in 2000 to 4.8 in 2012. The figures in the Philippines are lower than the annual global age-
standardized suicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 population (15.0 for males and 8.0 for females). The
Philippines also has the lowest suicide rate among ASEAN-member countries. However, it is
important to consider that suicides are likely to be underreported.

Breaking Taboos

"Registering a suicide is a complicated procedure involving several different authorities, often

including law enforcement. And in countries without reliable registration of deaths, suicides simply
die uncounted," WHO noted in its report. The WHO also noted that because of stigma surrounding
suicide, it is difficult for many people to seek help. "Raising community awareness and breaking
down taboos are important for countries making efforts to prevent suicide," it said. In some
countries, suicide is illegal. This is not the case in the Philippines, but there are other major barriers
to the development of a national suicide prevention program. Among these barriers, which
psychiatrist Dr. Dinah Pacquing-Nadera cites in her paper on suicide in the country, is "strong
Catholic faith which frowns upon suicide, discouraging families from reporting." Jean Goulbourn,
president of the mental health advocacy group Natasha Goulbourn Foundation, explained that
many Filipinos do not understand depression. "Ang akala nila baliw ang depression. Ang unang-
unang kailangan nilang malaman ay.…. ang depression ay hindi baliw,' she said in a previous
interview. Although there are 4.5 million depressed Filipinos - the highest in Southeast Asia – only
one out of three who suffer from depression will seek the help of a specialist, according to WHO.
One third will not even be aware of their condition. "In the Philippines, many people still think that
depression is not an illness, but something that one eventually snaps out of, and that's the reason
why so many people who are suffering from depression feel embarrassed to seek help," said Senator
Grace Poe, who filed a resolution on the increasing incidence of suicide and depression in the
country Filed in 2013, the resolution highlighted the importance of a focused suicide prevention
program, as well as improving data quality and better reporting on suicide deaths.

Suicide and the Youth

There is little available data on suicide among the youth in particular, but the 2013 Young Adult
Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS4) showed a decline in the proportion of youth who ever thought
of suicide. Conducted by UP Population Institute and the Demographic Research and Development
Foundation, YAFS4 found that among 15 to 19 year olds, the rate was 13.4 in 2002, and 8.7 in 2013.
The study also noted a low level of suicide attempts in the same age group, with 3.4 in 2002 and 3.2
in 2013.
However, there was an increase in the proportion of suicide attempts among those who had thought
of suicide, with 25 in 2002 and 36.7 in 2013. Among Filipino students surveyed in the 2003-2004
Global School based Student Health Survey (GSHS), 42 percent had felt sad or hopeless for two
weeks or more in the past year, 17.1 percent had seriously considered committing suicide in the last
year and 16.7 percent had made a plan about how they would commit suicide. According to the
GSHS, females were more than twice as likely as males to have had suicidal thoughts, but males
were more likely to carry out a suicidal act then females. As with the other suicides, it was likely
that youth suicide rates were underreported due to the associated stigma. Meanwhile, another
study titled "Suicide in the Philippines: Time Trend Analysis (1974-2005) and Literature Review"
revealed that "while suicide rates are low, increases and relatively high rates in adolescents and
young adults point to the importance of focused suicide prevention programs.

Using data from Philippine Health Statistics, as well as published papers, theses, and reports, the
study by Maria Theresa Redaniel Gunndell and May Antonette Lebanan-Dalida found that suicide
rates have been steadily increasing in both sexes from 1984 and 2005. For males, the rate increased
from 0.23 to 3.59 per 100,000 and for females, the rate increased from 0.12 to 1.09 per 100,000. The
authors noted that these increases might be explained by improved reporting and changing social
attitudes. The study also showed that in the mid-90s, rates in all age groups peaked, and was most
pronounced in the 15 to 24 age group. This is unlike patterns in most countries, where rates tend to
increase with age, but the authors noted that "reasons for this excess in young people in the
Philippines require further investigation." According to the study, family and relationship problems
were the most common causes. In its profile of non-fatal self-harm cases, around 52 to 87 percent of
suicide hospital admissions reported having problems with the spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, or
parents. The study also highlighted the need to improve data quality and reporting of suicide deaths
to inform and evaluate prevention strategies. As in other studies, the authors wrote that there is
likely to be underreporting because on non-acceptance by the Catholic Church and the associated
disgrace and stigma to the family. This is also something that the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation
has tried to address by reaching out to the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines so that
those who died by suicide can still receive a Catholic burial.

As there is still no national suicide prevention program, public education is done mostly groups
like Natasha Goulborn Foundation and the Philippine Psychiatric Association, whichis pushing for
a Mental Health Act. "The important things to remember are that suicide is a worldwide
phenomenon, it's a public health issue hitting the youth and causing economic losses and that it's
preventable," Nadera said. - RSI/KBK/IST.