LAST year the number of committed and attempted suicides climbed to 1,600 cases, by which Slovakia neared a 10-year record. Based on data of the National Health Information Centre (NCZI), 628 people committed suicide in Slovakia in 2013, an increase by 10 percent over the previous year, the TASR newswire reported on September 10.
According to the Slovak Psychiatric Association, Slovakia lacks a system for suicide prevention.
“Slovakia needs a nationwide action programme focused on this problem,” Marek Zelman from the association said, as cited by the SITA newswire.
The number of suicides committed in 2013 approached Slovakia’s 10-year record, which was 631 in 2008. Men continue to dominate in the number of suicides, accounting for 544 of all suicides committed.
According to Peter Bubla, an NCZI spokesperson, the number of attempted suicides decreased significantly by 46 percent to 972 compared with 2012. In the case of attempted suicides, the gender ratio is more balanced, with 550 men and 422 women.
The most common means of suicide in Slovakia was by hanging (accounting for the deaths of 390 men and 41 women) while women often chose jumping from high places (21). Based on employment status, those without a job dominated (38 percent).
