Suicide in the Hong Kong railway system: characteristics of victims and effectiveness of barriers

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the profiles of railway suicide victims in Hong Kong between 1997 and 2002, and to measure the cost-effectiveness of the recently installed platform screen doors suicide prevention. Materials and methods: This study investigated suicide deaths by “jumping or lying before moving object” in Hong Kong between 1997 and 2002, as identified the ninth and tenth revisions of the International classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Data were obtained from the Coroner” Court and Railway District the Hong Kong police Force. Generalized cost-effectiveness analysis was performed. Results: Between 1997 and 2002, 54 individuals jumped onto railway tracks in Hong Kong. Data on these fatalities showed that the majority was male 79.6% and middle-aged (mean age=44.5 years, SD=14.42).33 (61.1%,) suffered from at least one mental illness with a prevalence of psychotic disorders. More than half of the victims chose the most convenient station to jump and none of them traveled to die. After the installation of the platform screen doors, the percentage of railway suicides out of all suicide deaths dropped from 1.38% in 2001 to 0.27% in 2002. Analysis also showed cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Conclusion: The results showed that the screen doors were cost-effective to save from the railway tracks. Since victims were more likely to choose a location of higher availability and substitution effect on the tracks was unlikely, barriers walked-in to the platforms would be able to eliminate most railway suicides.