Young people`s familiarity with the problem of suicide in Slovenia

V Sloveniji samomor predstavlja velik javnozdravstveni problem, saj imamo že več desetletij visok količnik samomorilnosti v primerjavi z drugimi državami. Zelo pomembno je, da so mladi seznanjeni s problemom samomorilnosti, saj bi lahko samomor preprečili, če bi prepoznali ogroženost samomorilne osebe, opozorilne znake pa vzeli resno. V diplomskem delu predstavljamo dve najbolj samomorilno ogroženi skupini, mladostnike in starostnike. Predstavili smo dejavnike tveganja za samomorilno vedenje med mladimi in starejšimi, preprečevanje samomora v primarnem zdravstvu, med mladimi in med starejšimi ter vlogo medicinske sestre pri obravnavi samomorilnih pacientov. Metodologija raziskovanja. V raziskavi smo uporabili kvantitativno metodologijo raziskovanja z uporabo strukturiranega vprašalnika. Raziskavo smo izvedli na eni izmed srednjih zdravstvenih šol v Sloveniji, v kateri je sodelovalo 60 polnoletnih mladostnikov. Raziskava je bila izvedena meseca decembra leta 2011. Rezultati. Po mnenju anketiranih mladostnikov je glavni razlog za samomorilnost depresija, najpogostejši razlog za samomorilnost med mladimi so neurejeni odnosi v družini, najpogostejša razloga za samomorilnost med starejšimi pa sta osamljenost in socialno-ekonomski status. Iz raziskave je razvidno, da so mladostniki sorazmerno dobro seznanjeni s problemom samomorilnosti. Sklep. Mladostniki potrebujejo ustrezno znanje o problemu samomorilnosti, da bi lahko primerno ukrepali ob srečanju s samomorilno osebo in da se sami ne bi odločili za takšno »rešitev« svojih težav.Suicide is a major public health problem in Slovenia since its suicide rates have been alarmingly high for many decades now compared to other countries. However, suicide is largely preventable if the warning signs are spotted in time and taken seriouslytherefore, it is of primary importance that the young generation is particularly well acquainted with the problem of suicidality in order to prevent its occurrence. The graduate thesis focuses on the two most vulnerable populations prone to commit suicidenamely, adolescents and the elderly. The paper introduces the risk factors for suicidal behaviour in adolescents and elderly people, suicide prevention in primary healthcare as well as the role of a nurse in the treatment of suicidal patients. Research Methodology. A quantitative study was conducted by means of a structured questionnaire. The research involved 60 students above the age of 18 and was carried out at one of the Slovenian secondary medical schools in December 2011. Research Results. According to the questionnaire results, the main trigger for a suicide attempt is depression and while troubled interpersonal relationships seem to be the main reason for adolescents and young adults to commit suicide, for the elderly the most common triggers are loneliness and financial difficulties. The study also shows that young people are relatively well aware of the problem of suicidality. Conclusion. What the young generation needs is adequate knowledge of the problem of suicidality in order to take appropriate action should they encounter a person with suicidal thoughts or witness a suicide attempt, and last but not least, to keep them from solving their own problems by resorting to suicide