Suicide: Psychosocial Risk Factors and its Prevention

Suicide is among the top three causes of death among youth worldwide. Suicidal behavior is a due to a complex interaction of social, environment, biological and cultural factors. Suicide in the Indian context calls for an appreciation of the literary, religious, and cultural ethos of the subcontinent because tradition has rarely permeated the lives of people for as long as it has in India. Suicide is an important, largely preventable public health problem. There is a growing recognition that prevention strategies need to be tailored to the region-specific demographics of a country and to be implemented in a culturally-sensitive manner. The motives and modes of suicide are also distinct from western countries. Preventive strategies implemented at a community level and identifying vulnerable individuals maybe more effective than global strategies.