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Revista Romn de Sociologie, serie nou, anul XXIII, nr. 56, p. 385403, Bucureti, 2012
SINUCIDEREA N EUROPA, N CONTEXTUL CRIZEI
ECONOMICE GLOBALE
SORIN M. RDULESCU
ABSTRACT
SUICIDE IN EUROPE IN THE CONTEXT
OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS
Starting from Durkheims hypothesis according to which crisis periods cause a
significant increase in the number of suicides, the author examines several variables
associated with the recent economic crisis and the extent to which they influence
suicide rates in Europe, including Romania. In this respect, an assessment is made of
the findings of theoretical studies and empirical surveys conducted in several
European countries, according to which the increase of unemployment rates, the
decline of welfare standards and the deterioration of health conditions (including
those related to mental health) are among the main factors associated with the increase
of suicide rates in different countries.
Keywords: suicide, economic crisis, unemployment, mental health, factors
associated with the increase of suicide rates.
1. CONDUITELE SUICIDARE CA EFECT AL UNOR TENDINE I PRESIUNI SOCIALE
n esena sa i prin consecinele multiple pe care le implic, sinuciderea este o
problem social extrem de important, care prezint un interes justificat pentru
sociologi, psihologi, criminologi, juriti, medici, pentru diferite categorii de
specialiti, practicieni, reprezentani ai autoritii i, nu n ultimul rnd, pentru
public. O problem social evideniaz sociologii este o condiie indezirabil i
duntoare pentru societate, care afecteaz exigenele ei de ordine, mpiedic
schimbarea social i are un impact negativ asupra existenei, securitii i
bunstrii membrilor societii (Rdulescu, 2010, p. 192).
Statisticile sau estimrile ntocmite de Organizaia Mondial a Sntii sunt
relevante n acest sens, punnd n eviden faptul c suicidul este o problem
global a umanitii, care se manifest n toate rile lumii cu o mare intensitate,
fiind amplificat de condiiile crizei actuale.
a
nregistrat o scdere constant, n Romnia.
Aceast msur a strii de sntate, specific unei anumite ri, este un indicator mult mai
adecvat dect rata general de mortalitate, deoarece permite eliminarea influenei pe care o exercit
structura diferit pe grupuri de vrst a populaiei asupra mortalitii. n acelai timp, ea permite
posibilitatea de comparaie a dou sau mai multe populaii diferite din punct de vedere structural.
ROMNIA
UNIUNEA
EUROPEAN
(27 RI)
15 Sinuciderea n Europa 399
Creteri relativ mai mici au fost atinse n perioada 20072009, atunci cnd
efectele crizei economice au nceput s fie resimite i n ara noastr. n general,
cu cteva excepii, evoluia ratei standardizate de mortalitate din Romnia a urmat
tendinele nregistrate n medie, n Uniunea European, inclusiv n ceea ce privete
faptul c aceste tendine nu par s reflecte efectele crizei economice.
Exceptnd aceast similitudine, totui rata menionat nregistrat, n diveri
ani, n Romnia, a depit cu peste 60% pe cea nregistrat, n medie, n Uniunea
European, n anul 2009, aceast diferen (959,4 fa de numai 600,6 cazuri la
suta de mii de locuitori) fiind de circa 63%. Trebuie precizat, n acest sens, c, dac
lum ca an de referin 2008, doar Letonia, Lituania i fosta Iugoslavie au avut rate
standardizate de mortalitate mai mari dect cele nregistrate n Romnia (vezi
Graficul nr. 6). Cu alte cuvinte, comparativ cu alte ri din Uniunea European,
Romnia s-a situat, n anul 2008, pe locul patru n ceea ce privete rata
standardizat de mortalitate.
7.2. INCIDENA I PREVALENA BOLILOR PSIHICE N ROMNIA
n ceea ce privete incidena i prevalena bolilor psihice n Romnia, se
estimeaz (European Commision, 2008) c aproximativ 1% din populaie sufer de
tulburri sau boli psihice, iar anual, apar circa 1 018 noi cazuri la 100 000 de
locuitori. Comparativ cu incidena tulburrilor mentale (ntre 600 i circa 800 la
100 000 de locuitori), nregistrat, de exemplu, n rile care au aderat la Uniunea
European ncepnd din mai 2004, n Romnia aceast inciden a fost mult mai
mare, situndu-se ntre 900 i aproximativ 1 000 la suta de mii de locuitori (vezi
Graficul nr. 7).
O extrapolare a incidenei bolilor psihice n lume, inclusiv n Europa i
Romnia, fcut de experii americani (conform cu RightDiagnosis.com) a artat,
de pild, c n ara noastr, au fost afectate de boli sau tulburri psihice circa
5 milioane de persoane, adic circa 22% din populaia nregistrat n iulie 2004
.
La fel ca i n alte ri europene, n ara noastr, depresia este cea mai
frecvent i cea mai prevalent form de manifestare a bolilor psihice. Anual, circa
23 000 de cazuri de depresie sunt diagnosticate n Romnia, estimrile evideniind
faptul c aproximativ 10% dintre romni sunt afectai de aceast tulburare psihic
(ROMedic, 2008).
Exceptnd toate aceste informaii, nu exist informaii complete asupra
situaiei sntii mentale caracteristice populaiei din Romnia, puinele anchete
epidemiologice cu caracter comparativ, efectuate de experii europeni, evideniind
.
Graficul nr. 6
Rata standardizat de mortalitate n rile UE, n anul 2008
502,9
517,5
520,1
515,5
533,2
549,5
549,2
529,6
566
557,2
591,2
582,4
595,7
586,8
588,8
628,2
623,8
633,5
652,4
747,1
819
832,6
893,8
887,7
926,1
1006,9
963,9
1033,8
995,7
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
IT
FR
ES
IS
SE
CY
NO
LU
NL
AT
UK
DE
EL
FI
IE
EU
PO
SI
DK
CZ
PL
HR
EE
SK
HU
LV
RO
LT
BG
FORMER YUGOSL.
Sursa: European Community Health Indicators, 2010
Informaii cu privire la acest aspect pot fi obinute i prin intermediul anchetelor comparative,
ntreprinse cu ocazia elaborrii unor eurobarometre speciale, sub egida Comisiei Europene, n cadrul
crora subiecii selectai, aparinnd celor 27 ri membre ale Uniunii Europene, sunt chestionai cu
privire la autoperceperea gradului lor de sntate mental, ei declarnd, ntre altele, dac i de cte ori
au cutat ajutor i tratament specializat, dac au luat medicamente antidepresive etc. (vezi, de pild,
Special Barometer 345, October, 2010).
17 Sinuciderea n Europa 401
Graficul nr. 7
Mental disordes incidence per 100 000
0
500
1000
1500
2000 2001 2002 2003
Romnia
Eu members
since May 2004
Sursa: Conform cu Ministerul Sntii, Date_comparative.doc http://vechi.ms.ro/pagina.php?id=110
Pentru acest motiv, specialitii sunt de acord cu ideea c suicidul poate fi
folosit, adeseori, ca un veritabil indicator-surogat al nivelului sntii mentale
(WHO Regional Office for Europe, European Commision, 1999, p. 16).
N LOC DE CONCLUZII
n general, schimbrile sociale brute sau perioadele de criz vulnerabilizeaz
cel mai mult indivizii, pentru a-i face s comit sinucideri ntr-o proporie mai mare
dect n alte perioade de timp.
Criza economic, care s-a rspndit rapid n ntreaga lume, inclusiv n
Europa, n ultimii 4 ani, a avut numeroase consecine negative asupra vieii
indivizilor i comunitilor, genernd, ntre altele, o cretere puternic a ratelor de
suicid, n special asupra brbailor inclui n rndul populaiei active. Amplificarea
omajului, declinul economiei i al afacerilor, frnarea investiiilor, falimentul mai
multor ntreprinderi mici i mijlocii, deteriorarea standardelor de via, reducerea
drastic a veniturilor i alte asemenea efecte distructive au determinat, ntre altele,
un nivel ridicat al bolilor i tulburrilor psihice, constnd n creterea numrului de
depresii, a tentativelor de suicid i sinuciderilor ca atare. Asemenea efecte s-au
manifestat inclusiv n Romnia, unde nu exist nc suficiente informaii sau
evaluri care s evidenieze cu certitudine o legtur direct ntre criza economic
i creterea numrului de sinucideri. Dac n majoritatea rilor europene au fost
ntreprinse mai multe cercetri cu privire la acest subiect, n Romnia asemenea
preocupri sunt nc timide, nereuind, pn n prezent, dect s produc prezumii
intuitive, dar nu constatri tiinifice ferme.
EU members
since May 2004
Sorin M. Rdulescu 18 402
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