A new study by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has revealed worrying details about India’s growing suicide crisis. The report, reviewed by Mint, shows that suicide is not only a public health challenge but also a cause of severe economic and social loss, particularly among India’s young and productive population.
Study Overview
- Conducted by: Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
- Published: September 2024
- Sample Size: 1 million people
- States Covered: Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh
- Period Studied: January 2019 – December 2022
- Deaths Analyzed: 29,273
Key Findings: A Growing Crisis Among India’s Youth
India’s overall suicide rate stands at 10 per 1,00,000 population, which is lower than Australia (12.3) and the USA (15.5), and similar to the UK (9.4).
However, because of India’s large population, the absolute number of suicide deaths is far higher.
- Suicide is the leading cause of death among people aged 15–39 years, India’s most economically productive age group.
- Average age of suicide deaths: 36 years.
- Individuals dying by suicide were 28 years younger than those dying from other causes.
These numbers highlight a serious loss of young potential and economic productivity.
Gender Disparities in Suicide Mortality
| Gender | Suicide Rate (per 1,00,000) | Average Age | Major Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males | 12.8 | 39 years | Financial pressure and alcohol-related issues |
| Females | 7.3 | 30 years | Family problems, harassment, domestic violence |
The female suicide rate in India is twice the global average, showing how patriarchal and social pressures directly affect women’s mental health. At the same time, the gender gap in suicide rates is smaller in India than globally, meaning that stress affects both men and women in significant ways.
Different Causes and Social Pressures
| Group | Leading Cause | Percentage of Suicides | Related Stressors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males | Financial stress | 18% | Pressure to be the “breadwinner”, unemployment, alcohol abuse |
| Females | Family-related issues | 33% | Patriarchal restrictions, dowry harassment, domestic violence |
Common Methods of Suicide
- Hanging: 70.6% males, 59.7% females
- Poisoning: 21.3% in both groups
- Self-immolation: 11.4% females, 3.2% males
Self-immolation was notably higher among women, often due to the availability of fuels such as kerosene or cooking gas in homes.
Hidden Vulnerabilities and Reporting Gaps
The PHFI study found that a significant number of suicides remain undocumented or misclassified:
- Unknown reasons: 3% of male cases and 27.9% of female cases.
- Under-reporting: Around 30% of suicides were not reported to police.
Families often avoided reporting to escape police investigations or social stigma. In the case of female suicides, maintaining “family reputation” was a common motive for silence.
This under-reporting leads to inaccurate data and weakens policy-making and prevention efforts.
Expert Insights
Dr. Nand Kumar (AIIMS):
India lacks accurate, health-based data collection on suicides. Currently, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles the data, even though suicide is no longer a criminal act under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
He recommends forming a specialized data collection unit under the Ministry of Health to ensure accuracy and sensitivity.
Dr. Kavita Arora (India Mental Health Alliance):
Suicide is not a sudden act. It results from long-term loneliness, helplessness, and social isolation. She stresses that resilience and emotional training must begin early in schools to equip children with life skills to manage stress.
PHFI’s Recommendations for Prevention
- Financial and Social Assistance
- Provide immediate financial help to families affected by suicide.
- Ensure children of suicide victims receive access to welfare and orphan schemes.
- Building Resilience in Schools
- Introduce structured programs to strengthen emotional intelligence and stress management.
- Targeted Awareness Campaigns
- For men: Address financial stress and job-related anxiety.
- For women: Highlight domestic violence and family-related pressures as mental health triggers.
- Improving Data Collection and Sensitivity
- Collaborate with police and health departments to enhance suicide reporting.
- Train officials to handle post-mortems and case reporting sensitively.
Conclusion
The PHFI study exposes a harsh reality — suicide in India is both a public health emergency and a social tragedy.
To reduce the growing number of suicides, India must strengthen its mental health systems, improve data collection, address gender-specific stress factors, and promote financial and emotional support mechanisms.
“Suicide is not a sudden act. It is the result of stress, isolation, and helplessness that society often fails to see.”
— Dr. Nand Kumar, AIIMS
Source: Livemint