Suicide prevention in Taiwan: A ten-year review
Journal
Taiwan Journal of Public Health
Journal Volume
34
Journal Issue
3
Pages
227-239
Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
Abstract
Suicide is a tragic outcome of various bio-psycho-social adversities. In Taiwan, suicide had become one of the top-ten leading causes of death in 1997. The crude suicide mortality rate increased rapidly from 10.0 per 100, 000 in 1997 to 19.3 per 100, 000 in 2006. In response to this situation, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan provided grants to implement the National Suicide Prevention Program. The goal was to promote national suicide prevention strategies, support suicide prevention tasks at the local level, and establish a "planning nationally and acting locally" philosophy. The Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center (TSPC) was established in September 2005 to prevent suicide by enhancing the efficiency of care delivery networks in Taiwan. The TSPC is a medium to translate the scientific evidence about suicide, especially epidemiological evidence, into public health policy. The TSPC also serves as a platform to coordinate efforts between governmental and non-governmental organizations. The TSPC is in charge of standardizing the national suicide report system and aftercare delivery system, implementing pilot plans, promoting suicide gatekeeper trainings, and organizing community support networks. Every county in Taiwan has to implement the county-level program of suicide prevention, and TSPC plays a leading role in support and evaluation of each county in dealing with its own issues with suicide. The standardized suicide mortality rate went down from 16.8 per 100, 000 in 2006 to 12.0 per 100, 000 in 2012. Suicide dropped out the top-ten leading causes of death in 2010 and continues to do so today. In order to promote the sustainable management of suicide prevention strategies in Taiwan, the staff of the TSPC is now actively engaged in drafting the Suicide Prevention Act.
SDGs
Type
review