Epidemic of charcoal burning suicide in Japan

• Published in: British journal of psychiatry Vol. 204; no. 4; pp. 274 - 282
• Main Authors: Yoshioka, Eiji, Hanley, Sharon J. B., Kawanishi, Yasuyuki, Saijo, Yasuaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.04.2014; Maney
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Burning; Carbon monoxide poisoning; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - epidemiology; Charcoal; Chinese people; Epidemics; Fatalities; Female; Humans; Japan; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; Methods; Middle Aged; Prevention; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Selfinjury; Suicidal behaviour; Suicide; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Taiwan; Vital statistics; Young Adult; Asia; Japan; Hong Kong China; China; Taiwan; Suicide; Charcoal
• ISSN: 0007-1250; 1472-1465
• DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.135392

The charcoal burning suicide epidemics in both Hong Kong and Taiwan have been well documented. However, little is known about the situation in Japan. To examine the impact of charcoal burning suicide on the overall and other method-specific suicide rates between 1998 and 2007 in Japan. Using data obtained from the Vital Statistics of Japan, negative binomial regression analyses were performed to investigate the impact of the charcoal burning method. In males and females aged 15-24 and 25-44 years, the charcoal burning epidemic led to a substantial increase in overall suicides, without a decrease in other methods. In all other age groups, no such trend was observed. In young Japanese, the charcoal burning method may have appealed to individuals who might not have chosen other highly or relatively lethal methods, and consequently led to an increase in overall suicides.