A life spent studying death

From
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090423-137117.html

Fri, Apr 24, 2009
The Straits Times

DR CHIA Boon Hock, 73, is Singapore's resident suicidologist and a walking repository of research on the motivations, methods and meanings of suicide.

He has spent his life poring over coroner's reports, collecting data and trying to demystify what drives people over the edge.

He recently finished analysing hundreds of suicide letters left behind by Singaporeans between 2000 and 2004 for the renowned journal, Archives Of Suicide Research. He also contributed a chapter on Singapore to the 2008 book, Suicide In Asia.

In 1968, he became the first psychiatrist here to go into private practice. Besides a medical degree from Hong Kong University, he also has a doctorate on suicide from the University of Singapore.

He estimates that about 90 of his patients have killed themselves out of the 5,000 he has treated over a 20-year period.

Now semi-retired, he works an 11-hour week at his private practice, plays golf, practises the piano, learns Mandarin, does gardening, plays with his three grandchildren and analyses data on suicide as a hobby.

He is married to a housewife. They have two children who are both doctors.

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