Suicide On Rise In Europe, Particularly Among Youth

by Linus Atarah

(IPS) HELSINKI -- Mental illness and resulting suicide are emerging as Europe's "unseen killers," medical experts said.

About 58,000 people kill themselves every year in the European Union (EU), European commissioner for health and consumer protection Markos Kyprianou said at a meeting here over the weekend. This compares with around 50,700 deaths a year currently in road accidents and 5,350 in murder or homicide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says 873,000 people commit suicide around the world every year. The number in Europe region, which also includes European countries around the EU, is 163,000. Suicide is the world's 13th biggest cause of death, while it is the seventh largest cause of the death in the Europe region.

The Europe region of WHO includes 52 countries (the EU has 25), with a population of 850 million.

Most suicides are linked to mental illness, experts say. Fifteen percent of people who suffer severe depression commit suicide, 56 percent of them attempt it.

The suicide rate across the European region is on average 17.5 per 100,000. But the incidence varies considerably within the region, from 44.0 in Lithuania, 36.4 in the Russian Federation and 33.9 in Belarus, to 5.9 in Italy, 4.6 in Malta and 2.8 in Greece.

But despite the high incidence of mental illness, 44-70 percent of people with mental health disorders in Europe receive no treatment, WHO says.

"Europe is at the forefront of global mental illness," said Benedetto Saraceno, director of mental health and substance abuse at WHO. "However, the army to face this is rather poor."

Budgets for tackling mental health have shrunk. "All across the European region, governments have slashed mental health budgets over the past decade, forcing the closure of mental hospitals in many European countries," said Richard Velleman from the University of Bath in Britain.

Kyprianou says mental health receives surprisingly little attention. "You could say mental illness is Europe's unseen killer," he said. "I am determined to change that."

The first promise of change came by way of an action plan adopted at the meeting that brought together 400 participants, including health ministers from the European region countries, researchers, physicians and psychologists. The experts included representatives from 60 non-governmental organizations.

Health ministers from European region countries adopted an action plan that identifies 12 priority areas for mental health including the promotion of mental well-being, incorporating mental health as a vital part of public policy, and reduction of stigma and discrimination.

The action plan is expected to drive policy on mental health in the WHO European region for the next five years. The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, which played a key role in preparation of the action plan, is preparing also an EU strategy on promoting mental health.

The action plan was endorsed by all ministers from the European region, but Prof. Sir Michael Rutter from the Institute of Psychiatry in Britain said it did not adequately address the situation of young people. Mental health disorders among children have risen over the last 50 years, he said.

"Most mental disorders in young people are thought of as a benign part of growing up, but we now realize that this is not so," said Rutter. Over this period the suicide rate among the young has risen as it has declined among older people. "The situation is getting worse," he said.

"No one sees childhood as a golden age any longer," said Prof. Katherine Weare from the University of Southampton in Britain. "We now recognize that depression starts at a very early age. And we need to make sure that our declaration at this conference prioritises child mental health."

Velleman said the action plan is very broad and not specific enough, typical of a document that has to be negotiated among a large number of countries. "When the time comes for evaluation then we will know whether the declaration and the action plan is more than just fine words," he said.

Prof. David Hunter from the University of Durham in Britain said the conference could mark a historic moment. "But talking the talk is one thing; walking the walk is another," he said. "The hardest part comes next." Kyprianou said the action plan marked an important stage in the process of the development of mental health. "There is a high degree of consensus on mental health issues," he said.

WHO regional director for Europe Marc Danzon said the plan will "enable the development of mental health in all countries that is clear and understandable to the population."