Rural Communities: Why is there a higher rate of suicide?

A new study has found that ‪suicide‬ occurs more often in rural regions than urban centers. The article below investigates some of the reasons those who live in smaller, more remote towns, are at higher risk of suicide including higher rates of gun ownership, avoiding seeking help due to a lack of privacy, and most especially a lack of access to mental health services and supports. The article also speaks to addressing the issue of access through integrating ‪mental health‬ into family medicine practices and utilizing ‪telepsychiatry‬.

"Rural suicide arises from all the circumstances Ms. Barrasso noted and more. Despite a sleepy “Mayberry” sort of image, the realities of small-town life can take an outsize toll on the vulnerable. A combination of lower incomes, greater isolation, family issues and health problems can lead people to be consumed by day-to-day struggles, said Emily Selby-Nelson, a psychologist at Cabin Creek Health Systems, which provides health care in the rural hills of West Virginia.

“Rather than say, ‘I need help,’ they keep working and they get overwhelmed. They can start to think they are a burden on their family and lose hope.”"

To read the full article, click here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/health/small-towns-face-rising-suicide-rates.html?smid=nythealth&smtyp=cur&_r=1

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