AFP: One person commits suicide every two minutes in China

November 19, 2003

BEIJING, Nov 19 (AFP) - One person commits suicide every two minutes in China, making suicide the leading cause of death in the 15-34 age bracket, state media reported Wednesday.

With one-fifth of the world's population, China accounts for a quarter of the globe's suicides with 280,000 people killing themselves very year, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

In contrast to most countries, suicide is worse in rural China than in urban areas, with 58 percent of the deaths caused by drinking pesticide.

More Chinese women commit suicide than men, reversing a global pattern which sees men more affected in other countries.

The Chinese government considers suicide a mental health problem and is working on a national suicide prevention plan with health professionals, public security and agriculture officials, and the World Health Organization, the agency said.

URL: http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/ac/Qchina-suicide.RkAo_DNJ.html