Determinants of Health: Exploring Suicide and Its Determinants

This essay delves into the multifaceted determinants of suicide, examining a range of factors that contribute to this critical public health issue. The introduction highlights suicide as a significant cause of death, particularly among men, and underscores the influence of cultural, social, and psychological issues, including the stigma associated with mental disorders and economic problems. The essay then explores various social determinants of health, such as low socioeconomic status, which is linked to increased suicide risk, especially for men struggling to provide for their families. It discusses the importance of health and healthcare services, emphasizing the challenges men face in accessing quality treatment due to financial constraints and limited healthcare availability. Furthermore, the essay addresses the role of health education, social exclusion, and individual behavior in influencing suicidal tendencies. It recommends the development of screening tools and enhanced training for healthcare professionals to identify and support individuals at risk, emphasizing the need for early detection and intervention to prevent suicide and promote mental well-being. The essay concludes with a call for caregivers to develop tools for recognition and screening of victims and the need for the government to ensure enough personnel is trained to deal with such issues.

Running Head: DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
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Determinants of Health
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Introduction
Suicide is the act of causing one's death individually and intentionally. Many cases occur
hastily hence the means of suicide are accessed quickly. Suicide is now the second leading cause
of death among men aged 15-55 years. Many elements can lead an individual to commit suicide.
This includes cultural, social and psychological issues although the stigma that comes with
mental disorders is one of the aspects that individuals fail to get assistance. Most individuals
affected by this are men because they have to provide for their families. This population is
affected by this mainly because of poverty (7. Suicide, n.d ). Lithuania is the first country
worldwide leading in cases of suicide because of its economic problems. Research has shown
that 31 in every 100,000 commit suicide. Low socioeconomic status is one of the factors that can
lead someone to commit suicide with men being the victims since they lack the means to take
care of their families.
Mental ailments and alcohol can also drive a person to commit suicide. When men are at
an early stage, they tend to hide their emotions. Therefore, it is difficult to comprehend what they
are going through. They usually have low self-esteem, and some of them suffer from depression.
They always feel like they are not important anymore thus they develop negative feelings about
themselves which is difficult to recover. Men are unable to communicate and deal with their
feelings hence projecting suicidal thoughts in their minds. They have a sense of sadness confined
in them and cannot be discovered easily as suggested by Depression After a Job Loss: Statistics
and How to Cope (n.d.).

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Men are vulnerable when it comes to explaining themselves. They keep their problems
secret and deal with them without any help. Young men die as a result being emotionless and
keeping their problems a secret. This makes them develop depression and physical illness
because of stress. Depression has been found to be one of the leading factors that can cause an
individual to commit suicide. The suicidal thoughts might be more frequent which pushes men to
make bad decisions of taking their own lives. They tend to start giving away what they have or
getting drugs. This happens when they lose their jobs or relationships and lack alternative
measures to support their families and other people who are under their care. (Women’s
economic empowerment, 2012).The unwillingness of seeking assistance or assessing health care
services drives a lot of young men to suicidal thoughts. Some of them believe that committing
suicide ends a personal problem when it does not mean thus they end up causing pain to their
loved ones. It is essential for other people to always check up on them to avoid such
circumstances. They are also driven by the loss of their friends or family members. They get
affected by the loss of their loved ones and therefore begin having the thoughts of committing
suicide as outlined in World Health Organization: Commission on Social B) Determinants of
Health - final report p1-23.
In Lithuania, middle-aged men are likely to commit suicide due to lack of employment
and economic problems facing the country. It is known as a community that is undergoing stress
because of its financial crisis that prevents development. Thus, men find it hard to continue with
their lives knowing that they are unable to solve the problem.

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Social Determinants of Health
Low socioeconomic status
Individuals with low socioeconomic status are at high risk of committing suicide
especially men. Research has shown that unemployment causes young men to start having
suicidal thoughts because of frustrations regarding getting well-paying jobs to sustain them. Due
to insufficient income, they struggle to keep their families away from suffering and getting
quality care. Economic status has been considered as a determinant of health, especially in men.
Health effects show various situations according to the position of an individual (Goldberg,
2017). Those who are unemployed tend to be frustrated and experience financial constraints and
lack of respect which points them to suicide as their solution.
Suicidal thoughts in this population are affected by their status such as poor
infrastructure in their areas and receiving inadequate services which cannot prevent an individual
from committing suicide. Some elements of poverty, discrimination, and stigma is associated
with the low economic status that is a drive for suicidal thinking in men. A recent study has
shown that low socioeconomic status put men at risk of committing suicide and is a strong
influence, particularly in men. It can push them to begin misusing drugs and overuse alcohol
which can be a significant influence on suicidal ideology in men. They are unable to live a
healthy lifestyle due to stress, other psychological issues and mental illness (Marmot et al.,
2011).
Health and healthcare services

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Assessing quality healthcare has been difficult particularly for men with suicidal
thoughts. They are unable to open up to a practitioner or experts who can help them prevent
suicide. This habit has led many men to avoid confronting their issues hence affecting their
health. Research has indicated that most times, men like to hide their feelings and pretend to be
okay when they are not. Therefore, they try to protect their beliefs to cover up their pain.
(Middleton et al., 2018). Many health facilities are expensive, and because most of them are of
low economic status, they are unable to afford quality treatment.
Some of the drugs available in the health facilities are also expensive for them to
purchase. Due to this unavailability, they tend to confide in very close confidants hence their
suffering is not readily known. This is dangerous to their health since it may cause depression
and will slowly develop suicidal thoughts. Men are significantly affected by lack of healthcare
services since they live in underdevelopment areas where the facilities are inadequate. Men tend
to act without thinking which drives them to commit suicide. Their alcohol intake makes them
impulsive, and there is also a relationship between alcohol and suicide. Alcohol issues are more
present in men than women hence they end up developing the chronic illness and cause them to
create suicidal feelings. Therefore they need to be encouraged to visit the health facilities and get
necessary treatment to avoid such issues (Mathias et al., 2012). Health systems in many nations
are limited in resources, therefore, people with
Health education
Many people especially men lack adequate and recent information about health
promotion and risk habits. Thoughts attitudes and behaviors need to be shaped for them to
understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They lack an essential notion that involves

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health problems. They also lack critical thinking skills which are crucial in suicide prevention.
They need to be taught how to handle various situations in different settings. Most of them lack
interpersonal relationship skills which are the reason why they are always unable to open up
when they are facing problems. Men do not have stress administration skills, and this may cause
them to make unhealthy choices like suicide. They are surrounded by negative thoughts hence
making adverse decisions. This population tends to be irresponsible which in turn leads to risky
behaviors that affect their health (Mukherjee, 2017)
Esteem issues also need to be approached because most of them have low self-esteem and
cannot disclose the problems they are facing. Those who are not located in urban areas are
unable to get health education since many experts are based in urban areas. They are
disadvantaged because they don't get similar opportunities like those men who are located in the
urban areas. They are not taught about self-improvement and how to tackle emerging issues
which is a crucial issue in their life (Northridge & Freeman, 2011).
Social exclusion
Individuals have a right to be accepted in the community as well as the world. Social
exclusion has always seemed as a peril \element for suicide. Studies have indicated that social
exclusion influences mortality rate in males through death. Moreover, they are still discriminated
concerning gender, maturity, and ethnicity which limit them to access health services and social
amenities. Social exclusion may have adverse effects on the population like psychological,
relationship and work issues. They are discriminated because of the loss of their loved ones who
have lost their lives through suicide. They suffer from downplaying public hence bestowing to

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the deceased exclusion. This causes psychological pain on the affected individual (Polack, &
Warwick, 2016)
The presence of social exclusion existence makes it hard to attain some social aim like
minimizing malnutrition and poverty. Furthermore, they have limited ability to transform their
areas of expertise. Resources are limited for those who are excluded in the community (Pry,
2014). They have faced inequality regarding healthcare services and social amenities present in
their area. Their experiences are unquestionably unpredictable, and therefore those around them
should be vigilant. The population is always marginalized due to technical and economic
restrictions. They are denied equal chances of social life through discouragement and
intimidation hence lowering their self-esteem. These results in abysmal performance because of
the limited resources they are entitled. They may be affected psychologically and health wise.
This will push them to commit suicide because of uncontrolled stress.
Individual behavior
Suicidal behavior symbolizes emotions with significant destructive behaviors. Males who
are likely to commit suicide are always violent. They indulge in taking excessive alcohol which
makes them develop suicidal thoughts. In this population, the suicidal bid may define a particular
meaning for a person or indirect communication of distress or a technique to get attention from
people. Furthermore, their psychological attributes contribute to a person’s behaviors when they
are disturbed. Their moods and attitude are always negative, and they start behaving in a
different way that suggests suicide. The suicide attempt is still planned, and their motives are
hidden (Isometsä, 2017).

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They also engage in unprotected sex because of frustrations of being a failure in their life.
This drives them to start using drugs so that they can forget their predicaments instead it leads
them to commit suicide. Reports have indicated that suicides in this population are always
planned and executed. Therefore they are still aware of what they are doing and how they behave
in front of people or when they are alone. It is common for them to contemplate suicide due to
depression or when they are undergoing stress. This affects their health adversely, and it can
cause mental illness and other related issues. They tend to stay alone and keep their problems to
themselves as they don't open up quickly (Mathias et al., 2012). They often engage themselves
in periled behavior such as driving at high speed and giving away their belongings which may be
relevant to them.
Recommendations
Caregivers should develop a tool for recognition and screening of the victims should be
created. It is vital to enhance the capacity of health experts to find out and take care of these
disasters and other peril elements because this population is exposed to mental ailments.
Therefore the government should ensure that enough personnel is trained to deal with such
issues. The tools should be used to recognize the victims psychological status and cognitively.
This is important for them because they tend to discover the mental disorder early enough and
find the treatment that they need. It can prevent males from committing suicide and encourage
them to live a healthy life. Lives can be saved by these tools because of early detection as
outlined in Poverty, Mental Illness and Suicide Linked (2015).
The victims should be screened for early diagnosis and educate them on how to handle
stress without being suicidal. They will be able to understand their experiences at each stage of

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their life. This will lead to reduced severity of suicide and prevent further suicidal thoughts. The
efficaciousness of early detection is that the men get to understand their responsibilities and their
wellbeing. The practitioners should be able to use these tools to reach as many people as possible
to reduce the mortality rate in young men. It is essential for them to understand the victims and
inform them about healthy living and avoid stress as commented in Primary Care: Foundations
Aim To Improve Access And Quality (2017). Research has indicated that there is a requirement
for an early detection program and essential recommendations put in place. The medics should
enhance their skills concerning the prevention, risk elements and the intervention that is required.
The nation should improve their structures to improve screening services to the population.
(Sassen, 2017)
Suicide prevention plans must be created and executed through the concerned bodies and
other non-governmental agencies dedicated to preventing suicide. The organizations should work
together with the government to provide necessary resources and funding that will help in
initiating these programs to the community. Those who live in the rural areas should be reached
by all means possible so that they can be aware of its effect on their health. Plans that have been
successful with this kind of population such as Air Force plan should be embraced by
organizations that employ people with increased suicide rates like police officers. Screening
plans should be considered for the men and should be executed widely within work and
educational environment to recognize and intervene (Saunders, Watanabe & Wong, 2015). There
must be recognition of high suicide peril groups for the intervention targeted.
This will help the community to identify those who are vulnerable and give solutions to
the problems they encounter. The programs should be easy to comprehend as it will help them in
tackling the health hazards affecting them. The strategies implemented should be able to cater to

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the population without discrimination. There should be adequate planning about these strategies
so that they can be useful in fulfilling the population’s quest. They will be able to handle their
issues diligently.
Health education
It is crucial for young men to get quality health education because it will sharpen their
skills and make them develop a positive attitude towards health. It will motivate them to improve
their health and prevent illness. This will help in creating awareness about health-related issues
because they will know about physical and mental health. Therefore the non-governmental
organizations such as World Health Organization should ensure that they recruit enough
personnel to reach those people who are in the rural areas and educate them about the prevention
of suicide. Health education is essential in improving a person's health for an extended period
(Williams, 2011).
Community health personnel should work with public health organizations to inform the
public about mental and behavioral health that concerns them. This will help in preventing
violent behaviors that can lead to suicide. The government should ensure that the community
health centers are within reach for the population. They will educate the people about drug abuse
and the dangers of taking alcohol excessively. Health education provides knowledge about
personal hygiene and good eating habits. It will help in preventing infectious diseases hence
reducing suicidal attempts. The population should be encouraged to interact with the health
experts for them to understand the benefits of a healthful lifestyle (Warnakulasuriya, 2010).

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Policies should be developed to reduce excess use of alcohol. This population tends to
use alcohol without considering its adverse effects on their health. Alcohol interventions should
be included to create awareness. The government should play its role in strengthening the
leadership for mental health because it should be efficacious. It should also give comprehensive
and integrated health and social care services in the society's environment. The execution of this
policy should be fastened to help the victims affected by mental ailments. The government
should also strengthen the research about mental health to get more information about the causes
of suicide and find necessary measures to curb the problems. This will help in reducing the
mortality rate of this population as outlined in Social Exclusion: Definition, Mechanisms, and
Impact of Social Exclusion (2014)
The policies will help in making interventions for the victims. They should put in place
restrictions on the people using alcohol for the wrong reasons. They should inform the victims
about the harmful effects of excessive consumption of alcohol. A legal system must be present to
ensure that these strategies are implemented and the patients carefully examined. The victims
should have restricted methods of suicide because most of them practice self-poisoning. This is
vital in preventing suicide especially impulsive suicide as it will help in changing the mind of the
person intending to commit suicide (Vilela, Brito & Vilela, 2018).
Access to Healthcare
Access to healthcare is an essential aspect of reducing the risk of suicidal behavior. There
must be the application of health systems throughout the health facilities and institutions
particularly at the community centers are a significant method to progress the healthcare services
especially mental health care. The caregivers must use appropriate language when engaging with

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the victims. The vulnerable population should be assisted in getting adequate health services
which in turn will help them deal with their issues properly (Stolldorf, 2017). The discharged
patients should be encouraged to have support so that they do not feel as if they are isolated. The
experts should ensure that there are repeated follow-ups for the victims because it is useful
mainly in low-income nations. Therefore, the facilities should develop mental treatment systems
that will be able to get quality services as outlined in Suicide and Suicidal Behavior: Causes,
Symptoms, and Diagnosis (n.d.).
The individuals should be able to be evaluated by developing techniques for suicidal
behaviors. It is vital for them to open up to the experts so that the experts can be able to
understand the individual issues. It will enable them to know the kind of treatment to offer the
victims ( Tausch, 2012)
In conclusion, suicide has been one of the significant causes of death in the world.
Health education, personal behaviors, and other related issues can also cause suicide. Thus
necessary measures should be put in place to curb this situation.