The Hindu : Kerala / Kozhikode News : Study finds farmers second among suicide victims

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Sunday, May 02, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kozhikode

Study finds farmers second among suicide victims

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, MAY 1. Farmers take the second place next only to unemployed people in committing suicide in the State, according to a study by Dr. P.N. Suresh Kumar, director, Institute of Mental health and Neurosciences, Kozhikode.

In his study, Dr. Suresh Kumar, who is also the director of the Thanal Suicide Prevention Centre here, found that while unemployed tops the list of those committing suicides with 19 per cent, while the farmers taking the wrong way to death is 16 per cent.

Interestingly, the suicide rate in Idukki and Wayanad districts are above 40 per one lakh persons, which is much higher than the State rate of 31 per one lakh persons. When the suicide rates of four districts - Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad and Idukki, which are considered to have a large population of farmers - were taken, Pathanamthitta showed only a rate of 30 per one lakh population, while Palakkad showed 33 per one lakh population, slightly more than the State average. However, Idukki showed the highest suicide rate of 45 per one lakh population, with Wayanad showing the second highest suicide rate of about 44 per one lakh population.

According to Dr. Suresh Kumar, the reasons for the difference in the suicide rates in Idukki and Wayanad districts with that of Pathanamthitta and Palakkad should be found out by conducting a study. It could be speculated that there was delay in detecting of suicide attempts or delay in treatment of suicide attempters in the two districts of Idukki and Wayanad, which led to a high suicide rate in these districts. But only a study would throw light into the real cause for the high rate of suicides in these two districts, he said.

Moreover, Dr. Suresh Kumar's study proved that Idukki and Wayanad districts have been occupying the top positions in terms of suicides for the past five years. However, the suicides in Wayanad district have not increased considerably within the past nine years. The number of suicides was 315 in 1995, 281 in 1996, 281 in 1997, 291 in 1998, 387 in 1999, 367 in 2000, 311 in 2001, 320 in 2002, 367 in 2003 and 99 (up to April 24, 2004).

A look at the monthly suicide rate in Wayanad from 2002 show that while there was an average of 27 suicides per month in 2002, which increased to 31 per month in 2003, it has come down to was 25 suicides per month up to April 24, 2004.

The study, which went into the details of suicides in Wayanad district, showed that 56 per cent of those who committed suicide belonged to the age group between 30 and 60 years. The number of women who committed suicide was less than 3 per 10 suicides. Married people committed suicide (68 per cent) more than unmarried (31 per cent).

The suicide rate was the highest among the primary and upper primary educated with both categories constituting a whopping 78 per cent, buttressing the proverb. Persons with High School and Plus Two education constitute 11 per cent of the those who committed suicide, followed by illiterates with 8 per cent and degree and diploma at 2 per cent.

Muslims have resorted least to suicides. Only 8 per cent Muslims committed suicide when compared to 62 per cent Hindus and 29 per cent Christians. Mental problems\mental diseases was the major cause for suicides constituting 50 per cent of the causes for suicides. Financial problem constituted 18 per cent, while family problems constituted 14 per cent and diseases constituted 11 per cent.

The most favourite method adopted by those committing suicides was hanging with 50 per cent resorting to it, followed by consumption of insecticides finding favour with 42 per cent.

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Study finds farmers second among suicide victims