The Department of Health presented at a press conference yesterday the Catalonia Suicide Prevention Plan 2021-2025 (PLAPRESC) which had the participation of the director of Mental Health of the Parc Taulí, Diego J. Palao, as a member of the development team of the Plan which aims to reduce the attempted suicide death rate by more than one 15%, as well as social stigma.
Suicide is a health problem of an extraordinary dimension, being the main cause of external death in Catalonia and Spain, doubling the traffic accidents, especially among young people aged 15 to 29. In Catalonia, about 450 people die every year from suicide and between 20 and 30 people in the health reference area of Parc Taulí.
The Suicide Prevention Plan of Catalonia 2021-2025 (PLAPRESC) aims to reduce in 2030 the rate of suicide attempts and deaths by more than 15% and by more than 20% in the priority groups, as well how to reduce social stigma.
Dr. Palao emphasizes that “The Plan provides an extraordinary tool to be able to make effective prevention through interventions, not only in the health field, but also in all social areas and is expected to reduce the stigma that, unfortunately, has this issue in our society because it is often mistakenly associated with a voluntary act and not with a health problem ”.
Palao points out that suicide can be prevented by acting on risk factors and that they are known, such as previous attempts. A factor that was already being worked on through the Catalonia Suicide Risk Code and other factors such as the improvement of the treatment of depression and other mental illnesses, as well as social aspects.
El Parc Taulí has been a pioneer in implementing the Suicide Risk Code which basically detects people who have had a previous attempt and who have the highest level of risk to relapse. This action was launched at Parc Taulí in 2008 and is part of the usual care process.
In statements to the press conference held yesterday, Palao stated that "The new Plan adds to the previous actions and will allow a huge improvement in the prevention of suicide through a multisectoral and multilevel action involving all the departments of the Generalitat with specific actions." He also asked the media “Its help in the diffusion of the motto of the Plan - Choose life - so that anyone who is at risk of suicide can contact the Catsalut services (061, primary care, emergency services or mental health services) to access effective help ”.
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