Statewide efforts to rein in tragic trend center on openness

By Susan Essoyan

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 01, 2012

~~<p>After rising sharply to the highest level ever recorded, the number of suicides in Hawaii finally dropped last year and experts are calling for more openness about the traditionally taboo subject in hopes of getting help to those at risk.</p>
<p>Suicide was the top cause of fatal injuries among local residents over the past five years, outpacing deaths from car crashes, falls, drownings, homicide or poisoning, according to state Health Department data. But few people are aware of the extent of the problem or what to do about it.</p>
~~

After rising sharply to the highest level ever recorded, the number of suicides in Hawaii finally dropped last year and experts are calling for more openness about the traditionally taboo subject in hopes of getting help to those at risk.

Suicide was the top cause of fatal injuries among local residents over the past five years, outpacing deaths from car crashes, falls, drownings, homicide or poisoning, according to state Health Department data. But few people are aware of the extent of the problem or what to do about it. Login for more...