Suicide |
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World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day always observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003. [1] The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to host World Suicide Prevention Day. [2] In 2011 an estimated 40 countries held awareness events to mark the occasion. [3] According to WHO's Mental Health Atlas released in 2014, no low-income country reported having a national suicide prevention strategy, while less than 10% of lower-middle income countries, and almost a third of upper-middle and high-income countries had. [4]
On its first event in 2003, the 1999 WHO's global suicide prevention initiative is mentioned with regards to the main strategy for its implementation, requiring: [5]
As of recent WHO releases, challenges represented by social stigma, the taboo to openly discuss suicide, and low availability of data are still to date obstacles leading to poor data quality for both suicide and suicide attempts: "given the sensitivity of suicide – and the illegality of suicidal behaviour in some countries – it is likely that under-reporting and misclassification are greater problems for suicide than for most other causes of death." [6] [7]
Suicide has a number of complex and interrelated and underlying contributing factors ... that can contribute to the feelings of pain and hopelessness. Having access to means to kill oneself – most typically firearms, medicines and poisons – is also a risk factor. [1]
— Campaign release
An estimated one million people per year die by suicide or about one person in 10,000 (1.4% of all deaths), or "a death every 40 seconds or about 3,000 every day". As of 2004 the number of people who die by suicide is expected to reach 1.5 million per year by 2020. [8]
On average, three male suicides are reported for every female one, consistently across different age groups and in almost every country in the world. "Conversely, rates of suicide attempts tend to be 2-3 times higher in women than in men, although the gender gap has narrowed in recent years." [10] More people die from suicide than from murder and war; it is the 13th leading cause of death worldwide. [1] [8] According to WHO there are twenty people who have a suicide attempt for every one that is fatal, at a rate approximately one every three seconds. [11] Suicide is the "most common cause of death for people aged 15 – 24." [12]
According to WHO, suicide accounts for nearly half of all violent deaths in the world. Brian Mishara, IASP president, noted that, "more people kill themselves than die in all wars, terrorist acts and interpersonal violence combined." [13] As of 2008, the WHO refers the widest number of suicides occur in the age group 15 - 29, while the lowest in the 80+ although representing as well the one with the highest rate (per 100,000) of all age groups, with 27.8 suicides and 60.1 for females and males respectively. [14] In 2015 the reported global age-standardized rate is 10.7 per 100,000. [3] [15] [14]
Social norms play a significant role in the development of suicidal behaviors. Late 19th century's sociological studies recorded first ever observations on suicide: with statistics of the time at hand, sociologists mentioned the effects of industrialization as in relations between new urbanized communities and vulnerability to self-destructive behavior, suggesting social pressures have effects on suicide. [16] [17] Today, differences in suicidal behavior among different countries can be significant.
Age-standardized (2015) [note 1] | Crude (2015) | Male:Female (2015) | Rate (2012) | Male:Female (2012) | Rate (2008) | Male:Female (2008) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Europe (13%) | 11.9 | 15.7 | 3.7 : 1 | 12.0 | 4.1 : 1 | 14.2 | 4.0 : 1 |
South Eastern Asia (26%) | 13.3 | 13.3 | 1.3 : 1 | 17.7 | 1.6 : 1 | 15.6 | 1.5 : 1 |
Western Pacific (26%) | 9.1 | 10.2 | 1.2 : 1 | 7.5 | 0.9 : 1 | 12.6 | 1.3 : 1 |
Americas (13.5%) | 9.1 | 9.9 | 3.3 : 1 | 6.1 | 3.6 : 1 | 7.9 | 3.6 : 1 |
Africa (13%) | 12.8 | 7.4 | 2.0 : 1 | 10.0 | 2.5 : 1 | 6.4 | 2.2 : 1 |
Eastern Mediterranean (8.5%) | 4.3 | 3.9 | 1.8 : 1 | 6.4 | 1.4 : 1 | 5.6 | 1.1 : 1 |
World (100.0%) | 10.7 | 10.7 | 1.7 : 1 | 11.4 | 1.9 : 1 | 11.6 | 1.8 : 1 |
SDG region [note 2] | Rate (2015) | Male:Female (2015) | Rate (2010) | Male:Female (2010) | Rate (2005) | Male:Female (2005) | Rate (2000) | Male:Female (2000) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Europe [lower-alpha 1] | 17.4 | 3.8 : 1 | 19.6 | 4.0 : 1 | 22.9 | 4.1 : 1 | 24.2 | 4.0 : 1 |
Northern America and Europe | 16.5 | 3.6 : 1 | 17.6 | 3.8 : 1 | 19.5 | 3.9 : 1 | 20.3 | 3.9 : 1 |
Northern America [lower-alpha 2] | 14.7 | 3.2 : 1 | 13.2 | 3.4 : 1 | 12.0 | 3.4 : 1 | 11.4 | 3.6 : 1 |
Australia and New Zealand [lower-alpha 3] | 13.5 | 2.8 : 1 | 12.6 | 2.9 : 1 | 12.4 | 3.0 : 1 | 13.2 | 3.5 : 1 |
South-eastern Asia [lower-alpha 4] | 13.2 | 2.3 : 1 | 13.6 | 2.3 : 1 | 14.7 | 2.2 : 1 | 14.7 | 2.0 : 1 |
Southern Asia [lower-alpha 5] | 13.2 | 1.2 : 1 | 13.6 | 1.2 : 1 | 14.7 | 1.1 : 1 | 14.7 | 1.2 : 1 |
Central Asia and Southern Asia | 13.2 | 1.2 : 1 | 13.5 | 1.2 : 1 | 14.7 | 1.1 : 1 | 14.7 | 1.2 : 1 |
Oceania [lower-alpha 6] | 11.5 | 2.8 : 1 | 10.7 | 2.8 : 1 | 10.8 | 2.9 : 1 | 11.7 | 3.2 : 1 |
Central Asia [lower-alpha 7] | 11.4 | 3.5 : 1 | 13.1 | 3.9 : 1 | 15.3 | 4.6 : 1 | 14.8 | 4.4 : 1 |
Eastern Asia | 11.1 | 1.1 : 1 | 12.8 | 1.0 : 1 | 13.3 | 1.0 : 1 | 14.2 | 0.9 : 1 |
Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia | 9.6 | 1.2 : 1 | 10.9 | 1.1 : 1 | 11.3 | 1.1 : 1 | 12.2 | 1.0 : 1 |
Small Island Developing States | 9.5 | 3.3 : 1 | 9.3 | 3.1 : 1 | 9.2 | 3.0 : 1 | 10.5 | 2.9 : 1 |
Landlocked developing countries | 8.0 | 2.4 : 1 | 8.7 | 2.4 : 1 | 9.7 | 2.5 : 1 | 10.1 | 2.4 : 1 |
Sub-Saharan Africa | 7.5 | 2.0 : 1 | 7.7 | 1.9 : 1 | 8.0 | 1.9 : 1 | 8.5 | 1.8 : 1 |
Latin America and the Caribbean | 7.1 | 3.5 : 1 | 6.5 | 3.4 : 1 | 6.4 | 3.4 : 1 | 6.5 | 3.6 : 1 |
Least Developed Countries | 6.6 | 1.7 : 1 | 6.8 | 1.6 : 1 | 7.3 | 1.5 : 1 | 7.7 | 1.6 : 1 |
Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand | 5.9 | 2.7 : 1 | 5.9 | 2.5 : 1 | 5.5 | 2.4 : 1 | 5.8 | 2.2 : 1 |
Western Asia | 5.1 | 2.7 : 1 | 5.5 | 2.8 : 1 | 5.1 | 3.0 : 1 | 4.8 | 3.1 : 1 |
Western Asia and Northern Africa | 4.7 | 2.7 : 1 | 5.0 | 2.6 : 1 | 4.9 | 2.6 : 1 | 4.8 | 2.6 : 1 |
Northern Africa | 4.3 | 2.7 : 1 | 4.4 | 2.4 : 1 | 4.7 | 2.2 : 1 | 4.8 | 2.0 : 1 |
Global | 10.7 | 1.74 : 1 | 11.5 | 1.66 : 1 | 12.3 | 1.65 : 1 | 12.9 | 1.65 : 1 |
Suicide prevention's priorities, as declared on the 2012 World Suicide Prevention Day event, are stated below: [10]
Follows a brief summary of key quotes on the subject of suicide from different sources:
"The main suicide triggers are poverty, unemployment, the loss of a loved one, arguments and legal or work-related problems [..] Suicide results from many complex sociocultural factors and is more likely to occur during periods of socioeconomic, family and individual crisis (e.g. loss of a loved one, unemployment, sexual orientation, [44] difficulties with developing one's identity, disassociation from one's community or other social/belief group, and honour). [..] In richer countries, three times as many men die of suicide than women do, but in low- and middle-income countries the male-to-female ratio is much lower at 1.5 men to each woman. [..] In the United States, males are four times more likely to die from suicide than are females. However, females are more likely to attempt suicide than are males. [..] The disparity in suicide rates has been partly explained by the use of more lethal means and the experience of more aggression and higher intent to die [..] in men than women." [8] [45] [46] [10]
"In much of the world, suicide is stigmatized and condemned for religious or cultural reasons. In some countries, suicidal behavior is a criminal offence punishable by law. Suicide is therefore often a secretive act surrounded by taboo, and may be unrecognized, misclassified or deliberately hidden in official records of death. [..] Stigma, particularly surrounding mental disorders and suicide, means many people thinking of taking their own life or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and are therefore not getting the help they need. The prevention of suicide has not been adequately addressed due to a lack of awareness of suicide as a major public health problem and the taboo in many societies to openly discuss it. [..] Raising community awareness and breaking down the taboo is important for countries to make progress in preventing suicide." [7] [6]
Physical and especially mental health disabling issues such as depression, are among the most common of the long list of complex and interrelated factors, ranging from financial problems to the experience of abuse, aggression, exploitation and mistreatment, that can contribute to the feelings of pain and hopelessness underling suicide. Usually substances and alcohol abuse also play a role. Prevention strategies generally emphasize public awareness towards social stigma and suicidal behaviors. [1] [47] [5] [6]
Country | Crude rate | Age-adjusted rate [note 1] | Male:Female ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Sri Lanka | 35.3 | 34.6 | 4.4 : 1 |
Lithuania [lower-roman 1] | 32.7 | 26.1 | 5.8 : 1 |
Korea, Republic of [lower-roman 1] | 32.0 | 24.1 | 2.7 : 1 |
Guyana | 29.0 | 30.6 | 3.0 : 1 |
Mongolia | 28.3 | 28.1 | 5.2 : 1 |
Kazakhstan | 27.5 | 27.5 | 5.0 : 1 |
Suriname | 26.6 | 26.9 | 3.3 : 1 |
Belarus | 22.8 | 19.1 | 6.5 : 1 |
Poland [lower-roman 1] | 22.3 | 18.5 | 6.7 : 1 |
Latvia [lower-roman 1] | 21.7 | 17.4 | 6.6 : 1 |
Hungary [lower-roman 1] | 21.6 | 15.7 | 3.7 : 1 |
Slovenia [lower-roman 1] | 21.4 | 15.0 | 4.1 : 1 |
Angola | 20.5 | 25.9 | 2.7 : 1 |
Belgium [lower-roman 1] | 20.5 | 16.1 | 2.6 : 1 |
Russia | 20.1 | 17.9 | 5.7 : 1 |
Ukraine | 20.1 | 16.6 | 4.6 : 1 |
World | 10.7 | 10.7 | 1.7 : 1 |
In 1999, death by self-inflicted injuries was the fourth leading cause of death among aged 15–44, in the world. In a 2002 study it was reported the countries with the lowest rates tend to be in Latin America, "Muslim countries and a few Asian countries", and noted a lack of information from most African countries (see map). [5] Data quality is to date a concern for suicide prevention policies. Incidence of suicide tends to be under-reported and misclassified due to both cultural and social pressures, and possibly completely unreported in some areas. Since data might be skewed, comparing suicide rates between nations can result in statistically unsound conclusions about suicidal behavior in different countries. Nevertheless, the statistics are commonly used to directly influence decisions about public policy and public health strategies. [52]
Of the 34 member countries of the OECD, a group of mostly high-income countries that uses market economy to improve the Human Development Index, South Korea had the highest suicide rate in 2009. In 2011 South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare enacted legislation coinciding with WSPD to address the high rate. [53]
In 2008 it was reported that young people 15–34 years old in China were more likely to die by suicide than by any other mean, especially young Chinese women in rural places because of "arguments about marriage". By 2011 however, suicide rate for the same age group had been declining significantly according to official releases, mainly by late China's urbanisation and migration from rural areas to more urbanised: since the 1990s indeed, overall national Chinese suicide rate dropped by 68%. [54] [55]
According to WHO, in 2009 the four countries with the highest rates of suicide were all in Eastern Europe; Slovenia had the fourth highest rate preceded by Russia, Latvia, and Belarus. [56] This stays within findings from the start of the WSPD event in 2003 when the highest rates were also found in Eastern European countries. [5] As of 2015 the highest suicide rates are still in Eastern Europe, Korea and the Siberian area bordering China, in Sri Lanka and the Guianas, Belgium and few Sub-Saharan countries. [15]
According to WHO's Mental health Atlas released in 2014, no low-income country reported having a national suicide prevention strategy, while less than 10% of lower-middle income countries, and almost a third of upper-middle and high-income countries had. [4] Focus of the WSPD is the fundamental problem of suicide, considered a major public health issue in high-income and an emerging problem in low and middle-income countries. [57] Among high-income countries (besides South Korea) highest rates in 2015 are found across some Eastern European countries, Belgium and France, Japan, Croatia and Austria, Uruguay and Finland. [15]
Income group (% of global pop) | Suicides (in thousands) | Global % | Rate | Male:Female |
---|---|---|---|---|
High-income (18.3%) | 197 | 24.5% | 12.7 | 3.5 : 1 |
Upper-middle-income (34.3%) | 192 | 23.8% | 7.5 | 1.3 : 1 |
Lower-middle-income (35.4%) | 333 | 41.4% | 14.1 | 1.7 : 1 |
Low-income (12.0%) | 82 | 10.2% | 13.4 | 1.7 : 1 |
Global (100.0%) | 804 | 100.0% | 11.4 | 1.9 : 1 |
Socioeconomic status plays an important role in suicidal behavior, and wealth is a constant with regards to Male–Female suicide rate ratios, being that excess male mortality by suicide is generally limited or nonexistent in low- and middle-income societies, whereas it is never absent in high-income countries (see table).
Suicidal behavior is also subject of study for economists since about the 1970s: although national costs of suicide and suicide attempts (up to 20 for every one suicide) are very high, suicide prevention is hampered by scarce resources for lack of interest by mental health advocates and legislators; and moreover, personal interests even financial are studied with regards to suicide attempts for example, in which insights are given that often "individuals contemplating suicide do not just choose between life and death ... the resulting formula contains a somewhat paradoxical conclusion: attempting suicide can be a rational choice, but only if there is a high likelihood it will cause the attempter's life to significantly improve." [59] [60] In the United States alone, yearly costs of suicide and suicide attempts are comprised in 50-100 billion dollars. [61] [62]
The United Nations issued "National Policy for Suicide Prevention" in the 1990s, which some countries also use as a basis for their assisted suicide policies. Nevertheless, the UN noted that suicide bombers' deaths are seen as secondary to their goal of killing other people or specific targets and the bombers are not otherwise typical of people committing suicide. [63]
According to a 2006 WHO press release, one-third of worldwide suicides were committed with pesticides, "some of which were forbidden by United Nations (UN) conventions." [63] WHO urged the highly populated Asian countries to restrict pesticides that are commonly used in failed attempts, especially organophosphate-based pesticides that are banned by international conventions but still made in and exported by some Asian countries. [64] WHO reports an increase in pesticide suicides in other Asian countries as well as Central and South America. [64] It is estimated that such painful failed attempts could be reduced by legalizing controlled voluntary euthanasia options, as implemented in Switzerland.
As of 2017, it is estimated that around 30% of global suicides are still due to pesticide self-poisoning, most of which occur in rural agricultural areas in low- and middle-income countries (consisting in about 80% world population). [65] In high-income countries consisting of the remaining 20% world population most common methods are firearms, hanging and other self-poisoning.
European and American societies report a higher male mortality by suicide than any other, while various Asian a much lower. According to most recent data provided by WHO, about 40,000 females of the global three hundred thousand female suicides and 150,000 males of the global half million male suicides, deliberately take their own life every year in Europe and the Americas (consisting of about thirty percent world population). [66] As of 2015 [update] , apart from a few South and East Asian countries home to twenty percent of world population, Morocco, Lesotho, and two Caribbean countries, because of changing gender roles suicide rates are globally higher among men than women. [5]
Even though women are more prone to suicidal thoughts than men, rates of suicide are higher among men. On average, there are about three male suicides for every female one – though in parts of Asia, the ratio is much narrower. (WHO, 2002) [67]
The disparity in suicide rates has been partly explained by the use of more lethal means and the experience of more aggression and higher intent to die, when suicidal, in men than women. (IASP, 2012) [10]
There are many potential reasons for different suicide rates in men and women: gender equality issues, differences in socially acceptable methods of dealing with stress and conflict for men and women, availability of and preference for different means of suicide, availability and patterns of alcohol consumption, and differences in care-seeking rates for mental disorders between men and women. The very wide range in the sex ratios for suicide suggests that the relative importance of these different reasons varies greatly by country and region. (WHO, 2012) [58]
In western countries men are about 300% or thrice as likely to die by suicide than women, while a few countries (counting over a hundred million residents overall) exceed the 600% figure. Most considerable difference in male–female suicide ratios is noted in countries of the former Soviet Bloc and in some of Latin America. [66] [17]
Globally, in 2015 women had higher suicide rates in eight countries. In China (almost a fifth of world population) women were up to 30% more likely than men to commit suicide and up to 60% in some other South Asian countries: overall South Asian (including South-Eastern Asia, a third of world population) age-adjusted ratio however, was around global average of 1.7 : 1 (men being around 70% more likely than women to die by suicide). [48] [49] [15]
Some suicide reduction strategies do not recognize the separate needs of males and females. [68] Researchers have recommended aggressive long-term treatments and follow up for males that show indications of suicidal thoughts. Studies have also found that because young females are at a higher risk of attempting suicide, policies tailored towards this demographic are most effective at reducing overall rates.
Shifting cultural attitudes about gender roles and social norms, and especially ideas about masculinity, may also contribute to closing the gender gap: social status and working roles are assumed to be crucial for men's identity. [68] [69] [70]
A suicide method is any means by which a person may choose to end their life. Suicide attempts do not always result in death, and a non-fatal suicide attempt can leave the person with serious physical injuries, long-term health problems, and brain damage.
Suicide prevention is a collection of efforts to reduce the risk of suicide. Suicide is often preventable, and the efforts to prevent it may occur at the individual, relationship, community, and society level. Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have long-lasting effects on individuals, families, and communities. Preventing suicide requires strategies at all levels of society. This includes prevention and protective strategies for individuals, families, and communities. Suicide can be prevented by learning the warning signs, promoting prevention and resilience, and committing to social change.
An estimated 1 million people worldwide die by suicide every year. Globally, suicide ranks among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15 to 44 years. Attempted suicides are up to 20 times more frequent than completed ones.
Men's health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, as experienced by men, and not merely the absence of disease. Differences in men's health compared to women's can be attributed to biological factors, behavioural factors, and social factors.
Suicide risk assessment is a process of estimating the likelihood for a person to attempt or die by suicide. The goal of a thorough risk assessment is to learn about the circumstances of an individual person with regard to suicide, including warning signs, risk factors, and protective factors. Risk for suicide is re-evaluated throughout the course of care to assess the patient's response to personal situational changes and clinical interventions. Accurate and defensible risk assessment requires a clinician to integrate a clinical judgment with the latest evidence-based practice, although accurate prediction of low base rate events, such as suicide, is inherently difficult and prone to false positives.
Youth suicide is when a young person, generally categorized as someone below the legal age of majority, deliberately ends their own life. Rates of youth suicide and attempted youth suicide in Western societies and other countries are high. Youth suicide attempts are more common among girls, but adolescent males are the ones who usually carry out suicide. Suicide rates in youths have nearly tripled between the 1960s and 1980s. For example, in Australia suicide is second only to motor vehicle accidents as its leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 25.
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse are risk factors. Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress, relationship problems, or harassment and bullying. Those who have previously attempted suicide are at a higher risk for future attempts. Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to methods of suicide such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance abuse; careful media reporting about suicide; and improving economic conditions. Although crisis hotlines are common resources, their effectiveness has not been well studied.
Norman Louis Farberow was an American psychologist, and one of the founding fathers of modern suicidology. He was among the three founders in 1958 of the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center, which became a base of research into the causes and prevention of suicide.
Suicide in South Korea occurs at the 12th highest rate in the world. South Korea has the highest recorded suicide rate in the OECD. In South Korea, it is estimated to affect 0.02 percent of the population by the WHO. In 2012, suicide was the fourth-highest cause of death. The suicide rate has consistently declined between 2012 and 2019, the year when the latest data are available.
Gender differences in suicide rates have been shown to be significant. There are different rates of suicides and suicidal behavior between males and females. While females more often have suicidal thoughts, males die by suicide more frequently. This discrepancy is also known as the gender paradox in suicide.
Research has found that attempted suicide rates and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are significantly higher than among the general population.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is an international suicide prevention organization dedicated to preventing suicide and suicidal behaviour and to alleviating its effects. IASP leads the global role in suicide prevention by strategically developing an effective forum that is proactive in creating strong collaborative partnerships and promoting evidence-based action in order to reduce the incidence of suicide. The organisation is guided by a constitution and a 5-year strategy. Founded by Erwin Ringel and Norman Farberow in 1960, IASP provides a forum for mental health professionals, crisis workers, suicide survivors and all those affected by suicide and suicidal behaviour. As a membership-based organisation, IASP’s reach currently extends to about eighty countries worldwide.
Suicide is a major national public health issue in the United States. The country has one of the highest suicide rates among wealthy nations. In 2020, there were 45,799 recorded suicides, up from 42,773 in 2014, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). On average, adjusted for age, the annual U.S. suicide rate increased 30% between 2000 and 2020, from 10.4 to 13.5 suicides per 100,000 people. In 2018, 14.2 people per 100,000 died by suicide, the highest rate recorded in more than 30 years. Due to the stigma surrounding suicide, it is suspected that suicide is generally underreported. In April 2016, the CDC released data showing that the suicide rate in the United States had hit a 30-year high, and later in June 2018, released further data showing that the rate has continued to increase and has increased in every U.S. state except Nevada since 1999. From 2000 to 2020, more than 800,000 people died by suicide in the United States, with males representing 78.7% of all suicides that happened between 2000 and 2020. In 2022, around 49,500 people died by suicide according to the CDC, which is the highest number ever recorded. Surging death rates from suicide, drug overdoses and alcoholism, what researchers refer to as "deaths of despair", are largely responsible for a consecutive three year decline of life expectancy in the U.S. This constitutes the first three-year drop in life expectancy in the U.S. since the years 1915–1918.
A suicide attempt is an act in which an individual tries to die by suicide but survives. While it may be described as a "failed" or "unsuccessful" suicide attempt, mental health professionals discourage the use of these terms as they imply that a suicide resulting in death is a successful or desirable outcome.
According to the latest available data, Statistics Canada estimates 4,157 suicides took place in Canada in 2017, making it the 9th leading cause of death, between Alzheimer's disease (8th) and cirrhosis and other liver diseases (10th). In 2009, there were an estimated 3,890 suicide deaths.
Suicide in Greenland, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, is a significant national social issue. Greenland has the highest suicide rate in the world: reports between 1985 and 2012 showed that an average of 83 people in 100,000 died by suicide yearly.
Suicide is a significant national social issue in the United Kingdom. In 2019 there were 5,691 registered deaths by suicide in England and Wales, equating to an average of 18 suicides per day. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the country.
Diego De Leo is an Italian professor, doctor and psychiatrist. Until August 2015, he was the director of the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP), World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Research and Training in Suicide Prevention at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. He has been on the editorial board of Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention since 1990, was its Editor-in-Chief from 2008 to early 2018, and is now Editor emeritus of the journal. He is frequently quoted in Australian news reports as an expert on suicide prevention.
Annette Louise Beautrais is a New Zealand suicidologist. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, where she formerly directed the Canterbury Suicide Project prior to leaving in 2009 because some of her grant applications for a research project and a suicide coordinator at Canterbury were rejected. Beautrais has a PhD from the University of Otago, completed in 1996. She is also affiliated with the University of Canterbury School of Health Sciences and is a senior research fellow at the University of Auckland's South Auckland Clinical School. She is also the World Health Organization's leader on suicide prevention strategy, and was the chair of two different symposia at the International Association for Suicide Prevention's 2015 conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is also one of two co-chairs of the International Association for Suicide Prevention's Emergency Medicine and Suicidal Behavior task force, and helped organize World Suicide Prevention Day events in 2009 around the world.