Suicides among the aging east and west
Two separate headlines in today's Straits Times caught my attention. In the World section, the article from Reuters, More baby boomers take their own lives in US, summarizes a report by two sociologists on a growing trend in suicide rates in America. The article specifically noted a trend among white baby-boomer men, who do not have college degrees. While figures were not given in this short article, it did emphasize that the increase is a break from the norm, where the middle-aged are usually at low risk for suicide due to family roles. Possible factors for these aging baby-boomers is that baby-boomers tend to be the least healthy aging population, and with rising unemployment in these slow economic times, an increasing number in this cohort are simply unable to cope with rising costs.
There was another, comparable article in the Asia section, More elderly in China killing themselves, which reported that among urban people between 70 and 74 the suicide rate "surged above 33 per 100,000 people between 2002 and 2008 compared to 13 per 100,000 people in the 1990s." The study saw the trend resulting from a combination of urbanization and general relocation from rural development projects. Where the tradition is that extended families will stay together and care for the elderly, many are living alone in new and strange surroundings. On the other hand, women's suicide is down possibly because urbanization has allowed women to move out of conventionally subordinate family roles. That observation itself may serve as a critique of of the conventional view. But that's another post.
Indirectly, the articles point to some spiritual issues, in terms of the breakdown of communities. For aging baby-boomers, they often no longer have the family roles common in previous generations. Children and grandchildren live are less likely to be dependent upon them for wisdom and encouragement. In the west we have come to assume this fragmenting of the family. It is a newer phenomena in the east. One evidence, to be alone and overloaded with medical bills.
Kyrie eleison.
There was another, comparable article in the Asia section, More elderly in China killing themselves, which reported that among urban people between 70 and 74 the suicide rate "surged above 33 per 100,000 people between 2002 and 2008 compared to 13 per 100,000 people in the 1990s." The study saw the trend resulting from a combination of urbanization and general relocation from rural development projects. Where the tradition is that extended families will stay together and care for the elderly, many are living alone in new and strange surroundings. On the other hand, women's suicide is down possibly because urbanization has allowed women to move out of conventionally subordinate family roles. That observation itself may serve as a critique of of the conventional view. But that's another post.
Indirectly, the articles point to some spiritual issues, in terms of the breakdown of communities. For aging baby-boomers, they often no longer have the family roles common in previous generations. Children and grandchildren live are less likely to be dependent upon them for wisdom and encouragement. In the west we have come to assume this fragmenting of the family. It is a newer phenomena in the east. One evidence, to be alone and overloaded with medical bills.
Kyrie eleison.
Comments