Suicide rate increases in Turkey, report reveals

ISTANBUL

A total of 16,355 suicide cases took place in Turkey between 2015 and 2019, according to a study, which also includes comparisons drawn between the years, genders, cities, age groups, reasons and forms of suicides based on TÜİK data.

Some 12,384 of those who committed suicide in this five-year period in the country were men, and 3,971 were women, says the research conducted by the Socio-Political Field Research Center on suicide cases.

According to TÜİK data, which indicates that male suicide cases have been on the rise, the methods by which people committed suicide included hanging oneself, using chemical substances, jumping from high places and jumping into water bodies.

The reports also mentioned other forms of suicide, such as using a firearm, burning oneself, using a sharp object, using natural gas, jumping in front of a train or other motor vehicle, among others.

The causes drawn from these suicide cases were illness, family conflict, financial difficulties, commercial failure, educational failure, emotional relationship and inability to marry the person they wanted, among other reasons, according to the data.

The total number of suicide cases whose cause was defined as “other reasons” is 2,682. The suicides falling under this category should be evaluated as problematic cases in which to draw a definite conclusion was strugglesome, the report said.

“Among the reasons for suicide, it shows there are partial increases in suicides due to work and livelihoods,” the report stated.

In year-based examinations, it was determined that the total number of suicide cases decreased until 2018 but continued to increase as of the beginning of 2018.

In the study, it was also noted that suicide cases were more common among children and young people.

Based on comparisons between age, gender and year, the number of suicide cases decreased consistently in both men and women in the age groups of 25 and over, according to the study.

The top three cities with the highest number of suicide cases in the country were Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, respectively, according to the data.

Comparing the population and suicide numbers, the first three cities with the highest suicide rate were the eastern province of Tunceli, the northeastern province of Ardahan and the southwestern province of Burdur.

According to marital status, the suicide figures in the report revealed that the highest number of suicide cases were among married people, followed by those who never married.

Of the 364 suicide cases seen under the age of 15, 186 were men and 178 were women.

The report pointed out that the main reason for male suicides was financial difficulty, while for females, the reason determined was family conflict.