2008
December
Information service holiday closure times
Our Information and Resources service will be closed from 20 December to 4 January, so we will not be able to process your resource or information requests during this time. Our last SPINZ news inside the foundation's E-Bulletin was released 12 December. The next SPINZ news will be released inside a new-look SPINZ Newsletter, that you can sign up for here. Our information officers look forward to serving you again in 2009!
Greater focus on male suicide prevention needed
The male suicide rate is nearly three times higher than that of women, according to figures released today by the Ministry of Health.
The figures relate to deaths in 2006, the most recent data available. 524 deaths by suicide with recorded in 2006, of which 386 were male.
Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ), a service of the Mental Health Foundation, says the rate of male suicide has decreased 22.7% since 1995, but the over-representation of men continues to be an area of concern.
"Depression is the single biggest risk factor for suicide, and for many men - particularly Maori men - it remains undiagnosed," says Merryn Statham, Director of SPINZ. "Reaching people, especially men, with information encouraging them to seek help is essential, as well as ensuring that mental health services are truly responsive."
New Zealand's youth suicide rate has declined 31.5 percent since its peak in 2005, but the latest figures show that New Zealand still has a comparatively high youth suicide rate compared to other countries.
However, the Youth'07 study, a recent survey of 9,107 New Zealand secondary school students, has shown a marked improvement in wellbeing over the past six years.
"Suicide is complex and there are many factors that come into play for youth - disruptive family life, major social problems, acceptance of sexual orientation or relationship issues," Statham says. "The good news is that 92% of students now report being OK or very happy with their lives, and the number of students reporting symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide has reduced."
Areas of concern for youth wellbeing remain, though. "A significant number of students in Youth'07 came from families facing economic hardship, were witnesses to family violence, or engaged in binge drinking, all of which are risk factors for suicide."
In addition to suicide deaths, 2,868 people were hospitalised in 2006 for intentionally harming themselves.
"Many suicides are preventable, and someone who attempts suicide is sending a clear signal to mental health services, families and communities that they are a person in need of support," Statham concludes. "Someone expressing suicidal thoughts needs to be taken seriously. Seek professional help or ring 111 if there is an immediate crisis."
Media enquiries to:
Chris Banks
Senior Communications Officer
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Phone: 021 790 236
November 2008
Information areas target our different audiences
SPINZ is taking a significant step toward making it easier for different groups to find suicide information especially relevant to them.
We have designed a section on our website called ‘Information For', where you can go to directly for the resources, web-links and research articles that will most interest you. All this information is also contained in our Resource Finder - the ‘Information For' pages are just another way to find them quickly when you need to.
In addition to specific resources, the ‘Information For' pages bring you features from SPINZ' general pages - latest news, contact details and FAQs - so you can go directly to one page for most of your needs.
Whether you are a journalist writing about suicide, a concerned or a bereaved family member or friend, part of a community organisation with an interest in preventing suicide or a health practitioner, these pages hope to cater to your information needs.
Right now we have the beginnings of these four sections up and running, with more resources to be added soon and more sections to come in due course. These include sections for people working in: funding and planning, the justice system, other workplaces and education roles.
SPINZ is keen to hear what you want to be able to find quickly in your section, so please email us info "at" spinz.org.nz with your ideas.
SPINZ Newsletter revamped!
We are developing our first electronic stand-alone version of the SPINZ Newsletter - due out in early December 08.
The newsletter used to be part of MindNet, a Mental Health Foundation newsletter about mental health and well-being, but is now focusing exclusively on suicide prevention.
Our newsletter will be dedicated to the latest research, sector updates, events and news in the suicide prevention sector in New Zealand. We hope it will create new ways of sharing stories of good practice and the latest research and developments in this area.
If you would like to receive the SPINZ Newsletter please sign up. To share your ideas with us please read our contribution guidelines.
