In the name of love or hatred: A systematic comparison between filicide-suicide and mariticide/uxoricide-suicide in Hong Kong

While much of work on homicide-suicide (HS) arises out of the USA and the UK, there is a paucity of research on HS outside of the Anglo-American sphere. This paper investigates HS in Hong Kong (HK), comparing the subtypes of filicide-suicide (FS) and mariticide/uxoricide-suicide (MUS) in that context as a means of testing the generalizability […]

Suicidal ideation and familicidal-suicidal ideation among individuals presenting to problem gambling services: A retrospective data analysis

Background: Studies have consistently reported high rates of suicidal ideation (SI) among individuals with disordered gambling. None have explored gambling-related familicidal-suicidal ideation (FSI). Aims: This study examined the (1) prevalence of SI and FSI among treatment-seeking gamblers in Hong Kong, (2) characteristic profile of factors associated with SI and FSI, and (3) factors that predict SI and […]

Why do we report suicides and how can we facilitate suicide prevention efforts? Perspectives of Hong Kong media professionals

Background: The Hong Kong news media report suicide-related events more frequently and sensationally than Western countries. Little is known about Hong Kong media professionals’ experiences and thoughts about such reporting. Aims: To understand Hong Kong media professionals’ experiences and perceptions of suicide reporting and whether the news media can be better engaged into suicide prevention. Method: We conducted […]

A study of deliberate self-harm and its repetition among patients presenting to an emergency department

Background: Marked differences have been found in the characteristics of people dying by suicide in Western and Asian countries. However, there is less information available on possible differences for deliberate self-harm (DSH). Aims: To compare the characteristics of people presenting to hospital in Hong Kong and Oxford (UK) with DSH, and to assess the outcome of those […]

Research participation experiences of informants of suicide and control cases: Taken from a case-control psychological autopsy study of people who died by suicide

Background: Ethical issues have been raised about using the psychological autopsy approach in the study of suicide. The impact on informants of control cases who participated in case-control psychological autopsy studies has not been investigated. Aims: (1) To investigate whether informants of suicide cases recruited by two approaches (coroners’ court and public mortuaries) respond differently to the […]

Suicide research in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau over three decades: A scoping review

Background: China accounts for 15% of the global suicide death toll, yet suicide research efforts in the country are not well known by international colleagues. Aims: We aimed to outline the development of suicide research in China, appraise research findings, and identify key contributors. Method: English and Chinese research publication databases were systematically searched and relevant papers were reviewed. Chinese […]

The association between unemployment and suicide among employed and unemployed people in Hong Kong: A time-series analysis

Background Unemployment is associated with suicide. However, it is unclear whether the influence of unemployment is consistent on suicide across subgroups with different employment status. This study aimed to explore the immediate and delayed association between unemployment and suicide among unemployed and employed people in Hong Kong. Methods Quarterly statistics on labor force, unemployment rate […]

Estimating incidence rate of hospital-treated self-harm in Hong Kong using capture-recapture approach

Background: A surveillance system for self-harm has not been established in Hong Kong. The existing data source has an unknown degree of underreporting, and therefore a capture–recapture method has been proposed to correct for the incompleteness. Aims: To assess the underestimation of the incidence of self-harm cases presenting to hospital in Hong Kong using a capture and recapture […]

A public health approach in responding to the spread of helium suicide in Hong Kong: A case report

Background: The use of the helium suicide method has been increasing in popularity in Hong Kong since 2012. We have learned a valuable lesson in curbing the spread of charcoal burning (CB) suicide in the past 15 years and hope to prevent the helium suicide method from taking off in the community. Aims: To document what actions have […]

The associations between religion, bereavement and depression among Hong Kong nurses.

This paper is to examine the associations between religion, bereavement and depression among nursing professionals using a cross-sectional survey design. There is little empirical evidence in Asia suggesting that religion may either increase or lower the likelihood of nursing professionals being depressed.

Sleep disturbances and suicide risk in an 8-year longitudinal study of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Study Objectives: Disrupted sleep is one of the prominent but often overlooked presenting symptoms in the clinical course of psychotic disorders. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of sleep disturbances, particularly insomnia and nightmares, and their prospective associations with the risk of suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Methods: A […]

Apathy and suicide-related ideation 3 months after stroke: A cross-cultural study.

Both apathy and suicide are common in poststroke patients. However, the association between poststroke apathy and suicide-related ideation (SI) in Chinese stroke patients is not clear and poorly understood.The aim of this study was to examine the association between apathy and SI in stroke. The current findings show that poststroke apathy is an independent predictor […]

Towards a reassessment of the role of divorce in suicide outcomes: evidence from five pacific rim populations.

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Suicide sex ratios after the inception of charcoal-burning suicide in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

This item is a ‘Letter to the Editor’ ; Includes one table of statistics.

The Foxconn suicides and their media prominence: Is the Werther Effect applicable in China?

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Elderly suicide in Chinese populations.

Studies on suicide rate in the elderly have shown vast differences in different regions. This review summarizes the literature on the elderly suicide trend in Chinese populations, namely China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, comparing these data to those in the USA and the UK.

Restricting the Means of Suicide by Charcoal Burning

File copy includes 6 pages of supplementary data.

What Does Psychological Autopsy Study Tell us About Charcoal Burning Suicide – a new and Contagious Method in Asia?

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Provision and Evaluation of a Suicide Prevention and Management Programme by Frontline Nurses in Hong Kong

This study evaluated an education programme for frontline nurses on patient suicide prevention & management. The study was done in 2 general hospitals from December 2004-June 2006. A total of 54 registered nurses were assigned to the study group & 56 to the control group. A purposive sample was recruited for focus group interviews. Participants […]

Psychosocial Factors Contributing to Adolescent Suicidal Ideation

This study investigated family, school, peer, & psychological factors contributing to adolescent suicide ideation. Participants were 1,358 Hong Kong Chinese adolescents divided into younger (12.3 years) & older (15.4 years) age groups. By using structural equation modeling, results showed family cohesion & sense of school belonging were the core predictors of self-esteem & depression, & […]

A Psychological Autopsy Study of Pathological Gamblers who Died by Suicide

By examing a series of 17 suicides with evidence of pathological gambling prior to death, the authors sought to generate hypotheses for the further study of this problem. Psychological autopsy interviews were conducted with proxy respondents for suicide & control subjects aged 15-59 years in Hong Kong. Of the 150 suicides & 150 controls examined, […]

Suicide in Hong Kong – a Survey of Epidemiological Findings and Risk Factors

This article provides data on the rate of suicide in Hong Kong. Statistics are provided on gender distribution, age distribution, marital status, precipitating causes, methods, previous suicide attempts, suicide communications & notes, & suicide in mental patients. The article concludes with a brief discussion of risk factors. (19 refs.)

Understanding Suicidality and Correlates Among Chinese Secondary School Students in Hong Kong

This study investigated the factors associated with suicide ideation & attempts among a representative sample of 3,383 secondary school students in Hong Kong. Youth risk behaviours such as heavy smoking, episodic heavy alcohol drinking, early sexual experience, & feeling hopeless were found to be associated with both suicidal thoughts & attempts. Misuse of drugs was […]