Home » Why Does Bali Have the Highest Suicide Rate Among Indonesian Provinces?

Why Does Bali Have the Highest Suicide Rate Among Indonesian Provinces?

Imelda R
18:00, 2 Jul 2024

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In a startling revelation, Bali has emerged as the province with the highest suicide rate in Indonesia, a fact that demands immediate attention and action.

Based on data from the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Information Center (Pusiknas), which received reports of suicides throughout 2023, the suicide rate in Bali reached 3.07. The suicide rate is calculated based on the number of suicides compared to the total population.

This figure far exceeds other provinces in the country. The Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), which ranks second in the number of suicides, has a suicide rate of 1.58. Then, Bengkulu Province ranked third at 1.53. Meanwhile, Aceh, which occupies the bottom position of all provinces in Indonesia, has a suicide rate of only 0.02.

Based on data from Pusiknas Polri, in 2023, there were 135 reported suicides in Bali. This number is relatively high compared to the population of around 4.3 million.

Online loans are one of the causes of Bali’s high suicide rate

Illustration of debt (Courtesy of Nicola Barts/Pexels)

As reported by Detik, there are approximately two causes why Bali is the province with the highest suicide rate.

According to a psychiatric specialist or psychiatrist at Prof. Ngoerah Hospital, Anak Ayu Sri Wahyuni, there are two causes: biological and psychosocial factors.

“Biological causes are because there are mental disorders in a person, such as depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Then, psychosocial, such as being in debt, especially nowadays, is pinjol (online loans),” Sri explained.

In addition, Bali’s small area makes reports of suicides quickly go viral, which affects the high number of suicides.

Sri revealed that there was one suicide case that occurred in one of the districts in Bali this year. A married couple committed suicide because debt collectors or debt collectors chased them after being entangled in loan sharking debt.

According to her, the most critical effort to prevent suicides in Bali is to improve communication within the family.

She also highlights the role of the government in providing mental health treatment, reassuring those in need that services like JKN and BPJS Health cover all necessary treatments.

(Foto byThought Catalog – Pexels)

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Imelda is a content writer specializing in viral news and Indonesian culture. Her work revolves around researching and analyzing current events, social media trends, and popular culture.

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