Abstract
Do Nations’ Mental Health Policies, Programs and Legislation Influence Their Suicide Rates? An Ecological Study of 100 Countries
Burgess P~~Pirkis J~~et al
This study tested the hypothesis that the presence of national mental health policies, programs, & legislation would be associated with lower national suicide rates. Suicide rates from 100 countries were regressed on these indicators. Contrary to the hypothesis, the study found that after introducing mental health initiatives (with the excpetion of substance abuse policies), countries’ suicide rates rose. However, there may be acceptable reasons for this finding, for example, initiatives may have been introduced in areas of increasing need or a case-finding effect may be operating. Data limitations must also be considered. (22 refs.)