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새로운 조사에서, 한국인 370만명이 자살 위험이 높은 정신질환을 앓고 있는 것으로 드러났으며 이는 정부와 사회가 예방조치를 강화해야 할 필요성을 부각시키고 있다. 보건사회연구원에 따르면, 우울증과 감정장애 같은 오랜 정신질환의 결과로 총 368만 명이 자살 고위험군이다.
한국인의 28% 정도가 일생에 한 번 이상, 특히 스트레스가 극도에 달할 때 자살 충동을 느꼈다고 이 보고서는 밝혔다. 성별에 따라, 자살 고위험군 여성의 수는 260만명으로 남성보다 2.4배 많았다고 보고서는 덧붙였다. 정신질환은 자살과 관련된 주된 요인이다. 세계보건기구(WHO)가 내놓은 별개의 보고서에 따르면, 우울증 환자의 10-15%가 자살을 통해 사망했다.
자살을 막기 위해, 정부는 자살을 기도한 적이 있거나 자살 고위험군 환자들의 신원을 확인해서 진단하고 관리해야 한다고 보건사회연구원은 밝혔다. 현재, 지자체 산하 정신보건센터가 정신질환 고위험군 환자들의 관리를 맡고 있다. 그러나 늘어나는 자살 건수를 보다 잘 해결하기 위해 서비스 수준이 개선될 필요가 있다고 덧붙였다.
이 보고서는, 전직 야구선수이자 여배우 고 최진실의 전 남편인 조성민이 일요일 자살로 숨진 채 발견된 지 이틀 만에 나왔다. 최진실은 2008년도 말에 자살했고 동생 진영씨 또한 2010년도에 자살했다. 널리 알려진 이 사건 역시, 이들의 비극적인 이야기가 모방 자살로 이어질 수 있다는 우려를 제기했다. 보도에 따르면, 조씨의 사망 소식이 알려진 다음 날, 부산에서만 7명이 자살했다.
WHO에 따르면, 가족과 사회에 대한 자살의 심리적. 사회적 영향력은 막강하며 단 한 건의 자살이 평균적으로 최소 6명에게 영향을 준다고 덧붙였다. 최근 몇 년 간 국내 연예인들의 자살사건은 실제 전국적으로 자살 건수를 증가시켰다고 하규섭 서울병원장이 말했다.
특히 2008년 10월 최씨의 자살에 이어 같은 달에 1000명 이상 자살이 증가했다. 전체 가운데 자살자의 66%가 최씨와 같은 방법을 택했다. 한국자살예방협회장도 맡고 있는 하 원장은 “유명인 자살 소식이 매스미디어를 통해 입소문이 난 달에 약 600명 이상이 자살로 사망했다. 이것은 자살사건 보도가 사회에 얼마나 심각한 영향을 주는지를 입증하고 있다,”고 말했다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Mental health problems major cause of suicide
By Cho Chung-un
A new survey found nearly 3.7 million Koreans have psychiatric disorders associated with a high risk of suicide, highlighting the need for the government and society to step up preventive measures.
According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, a total of 3.68 million people higher chances of committing suicide in result of their prolonged mental disorders such as depression and mood disorders.
About 28 percent of Koreans have suicidal ideas more than once in their lifetime, especially during extreme levels of stress, the report said. By gender, the number of women with a high level of suicidal despair was 2.6 million or 2.4 times more than that of men, it added. Mental disorders are a major factor associated with suicide. About 10-15 percent of patients with depression die through suicide, according to a separate report by the World Health Organization.
In order to prevent suicides, the government needs to identify, assess and manage patients who have history of attempting suicide or are at higher risk of suicide, the state-run health agency said. Currently, mental health centers under local governments are in charge of managing patients with a high risk of mental disorders. But the level of services needs to be improved to better deal with an increasing number of suicide cases, it added.
The report came two days after Cho Sung-min, a former baseball player and the ex-husband of late actress Choi Jin-sil, was found dead in an apparent suicide on Sunday.
Choi killed herself in late 2008 and her younger brother, Jin-young, also died by suicide in 2010.
The case, which went widely public, also raised concerns that their tragic story could lead to copycat suicides. A day after the news of Cho’s death spread, seven people committed suicide in Busan alone, reports say.
The psychological and social impact of suicide on the family and society is enormous, according to World Health Organization, adding that a single suicide case affects at least six other people on average.
Cases of Korean celebrities committing suicides in recent years actually led to an immediate increase in the number of suicides across the country, said Ha Kyu-seob, director of Seoul National Hospital.
Choi’s death in October 2008, in particular, was followed by an increase of 1,000 more suicides for that month. Of the total, 66 percent of people who committed suicide and died chose the same method as Choi.
“About 600 more people died in apparent suicide, in the same month the news of celebrity suicide went viral through mass media. This proves how suicide reports have serious impact on society,” said Ha who also chairs the Korean Association of Suicide Prevention.
(christory@heraldcorp.com)
Mental health problems major cause of suicide
By Cho Chung-un
A new survey found nearly 3.7 million Koreans have psychiatric disorders associated with a high risk of suicide, highlighting the need for the government and society to step up preventive measures.
According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, a total of 3.68 million people higher chances of committing suicide in result of their prolonged mental disorders such as depression and mood disorders.
About 28 percent of Koreans have suicidal ideas more than once in their lifetime, especially during extreme levels of stress, the report said. By gender, the number of women with a high level of suicidal despair was 2.6 million or 2.4 times more than that of men, it added. Mental disorders are a major factor associated with suicide. About 10-15 percent of patients with depression die through suicide, according to a separate report by the World Health Organization.
In order to prevent suicides, the government needs to identify, assess and manage patients who have history of attempting suicide or are at higher risk of suicide, the state-run health agency said. Currently, mental health centers under local governments are in charge of managing patients with a high risk of mental disorders. But the level of services needs to be improved to better deal with an increasing number of suicide cases, it added.
The report came two days after Cho Sung-min, a former baseball player and the ex-husband of late actress Choi Jin-sil, was found dead in an apparent suicide on Sunday.
Choi killed herself in late 2008 and her younger brother, Jin-young, also died by suicide in 2010.
The case, which went widely public, also raised concerns that their tragic story could lead to copycat suicides. A day after the news of Cho’s death spread, seven people committed suicide in Busan alone, reports say.
The psychological and social impact of suicide on the family and society is enormous, according to World Health Organization, adding that a single suicide case affects at least six other people on average.
Cases of Korean celebrities committing suicides in recent years actually led to an immediate increase in the number of suicides across the country, said Ha Kyu-seob, director of Seoul National Hospital.
Choi’s death in October 2008, in particular, was followed by an increase of 1,000 more suicides for that month. Of the total, 66 percent of people who committed suicide and died chose the same method as Choi.
“About 600 more people died in apparent suicide, in the same month the news of celebrity suicide went viral through mass media. This proves how suicide reports have serious impact on society,” said Ha who also chairs the Korean Association of Suicide Prevention.
(christory@heraldcorp.com)
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