Epidemiology of suicide: Autopsy audit of five years in an industrial city of Punjab

Objective: To determine the epidemiological pattern of suicidal deaths in an industrial city of Punjab Province over a period of five years as well as to determine the gender and age group mostly affected. Study Design: Retrospective Cross-sectional Descriptive study. Setting: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad. Period: 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2023. Methods: Subjects of the study were victims […]

Perceptions of key stakeholders on peer led strength building program for suicide prevention among young adolescents: A qualitative study from Karnataka, India

Context: Adolescent suicides are a significant public health concern in India and understanding the intersecting perspectives becomes imperative for the prevention of various mental health concerns. Aim: Assessing perceptions of various key stakeholders, that is, mental health experts, school and college teachers, and District Mental Health Program staff about peer-led strength building programs for suicide […]

Mental health morbidities in Kerala, India: Insights from National Mental Health Survey, 2015–2016

Background: The National Mental Health Survey was borne out of the felt need for a comprehensive epidemiological survey on mental health to understand the magnitude of psychiatric morbidities in India to aid in mental health policymaking, service planning, and delivery. Kerala was one of the 12 surveyed states, representing southern India. Aims: To estimate the […]

Exploring the enigma of low prevalence of post‑traumatic stress disorder in India

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic psychiatric condition associated with significant distress and dysfunction. While worldwide estimates of prevalence range from 3.9% to 24%, little research has been conducted to identify the prevalence of PTSD in the general population of India. This study analyzes data from the National Mental Health Survey 2015-2016, a […]

Bipolar affective disorder in India: A multi-site population-based cross-sectional study

Introduction: Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD) merits careful consideration within the medical and healthcare communities, researchers, and policymakers. This is due to its substantial disability burden, elevated prevalence of co-morbidities, heightened lifetime risk of suicidality, and a significant treatment gap. This article focuses on the lifetime and current prevalence, correlates, co-morbidities, associated disabilities, socio-economic impact, and […]

Development of a suicide prevention training module for social work students in India

Introduction Social workers constitute a significant task force that serves diverse populations experiencing psychosocial challenges in their daily lives. Lack of suicide prevention content/training in the Master of Social Work program may affect the student’s self-esteem/ability to intervene when they come across a person with suicidality in the field. Developing a suicide prevention training module […]

Vulnerabilities and life stressors of people presented to emergency departments with deliberate self-harm: Consolidating the experiences to develop a continuum of care using a mixed-method framework

Objective: Suicide is a crucial public health concern. However, the interactions between bio psychosocial vulnerabilities and stressors leading to deliberate self-harm behavior remain unexplored, especially in the Indian context. This study examined the experiences leading to self-harm behavior among people who presented to emergency departments with suicidal attempts. Methods: In this mixed-methods study, we enrolled 44 patients […]

The patterns, trends and major risk factors of suicide among Indian adolescents: A scoping review

Introduction: Suicide is one of the serious health problems among Indian adolescents. Adolescence helps with the transition of an individual into an adult, so it is important to understand the suicidal behavior of adolescents. Several studies have been carried out in different states in India on the suicidal behavior of adolescents, but there is no review […]

Ethical challenges in clinical care of suicidal patients

Suicide management is attended with ethical dilemmas. Philosophical positions like respect for life (which generally accords with the theological position), autonomy, duty to others, and utilitarianism; as well as legal requirements provide a context for ethical decision making. Ethical principles involved are duty to others, autonomy (including informed consent and confidentiality), beneficence and non-maleficence. The […]

Suicide prevention in India

India accounts for nearly 18 % of the global population but approximately 28 % of global suicides. Similar to many countries around the world, suicide in India is known to result from a complex interplay of social, economic, and personal factors. To address this important issue, India released its first national  suicide prevention strategy in […]

Suicide trends among patients with cancer in India over the past 24 years

The aim of the study was to find trends of suicidal deaths among individuals with cancer in the Indian population based on secondary data.

Changing profile of suicide methods in India: 2014–2021

Background: Restricting access to suicide methods is one of the most effective suicide prevention approaches. Methods: Trends in method specific suicide rates (2014-2021) in India were calculated using National Crime Records Bureau data (NCRB) by sex and geographical region. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to empirically identify any changes in suicide trends. Results: Suicide rates by hanging increased […]

A study on factors influencing youth to commit suicide in Kashmir

Suicide is one of the burning issues worldwide as its rate is increasing continuously. This paper examines the status of suicide in the world and factors influencing youth of Kashmir to commit suicide. The study was carried out  in Kashmir region in the year 2023 to trace the various socio-economic, political and cultural factors which […]

Examining the relationship between academic expectations and suicidal ideation among college students in India using the interpersonal theory of suicide

Factor structure and validity of the suicidal narrative inventory among Indian adults

Background: The suicidal narrative is a presuicidal state comprising several risk factors for suicide and is assessed using the Suicidal Narrative Inventory (SNI). Aims To assess the internal structure, reliability, and validity of SNI among Indian adults. Methods Between August 2020 and January 2021, the SNI, together with other self-report measures, was administered to adult respondents using an online anonymized […]

The quality of media reporting of suicide news in a high suicide state of India against World Health Organization guidelines: A content analysis study of major newspapers in Chhattisgarh

Objectives: Suicide rates in India are amongst the highest in the world, resulting in an estimated 250,000 suicide deaths annually, and suicide rates in the state of Chhattisgarh are more than double the national average. Responsible media reporting is one of the few  population-level suicide prevention interventions. To inform media interventions, the objective of our […]

A study on socio-economic and psychological causes of suicide among youths in India

Over the last few years, the number of suicide cases in India has increased at a significant level, thereby influencing the youth in a negative way. There are several reasons that can be considered as potential causes of suicide that, include depression, financial loss, poor academic performance, and many more. These reasons influence the mind […]

Mental health action plan for the WHO South-East Asia region 2023-2030

Member States of the Reg: ion have initiated processes to strengthen leadership and governance for mental health. Several countries have developed and implemented mental health plans, strategies and legislations. Direct spending on mental health needs to be increased throughout the Region through the health sector as well as other relevant sectors.

Suicide prevention policy in India: Reflections by mental health professionals

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy was launched by India on November 21, 2022. It was the first step toward making suicide prevention a public health priority with the aim of a 10% reduction in suicide mortality by 2030. The present article incorporates the reflections by mental health professionals in India by emphasizing on the sociocultural contexts, diversity, the training of the professionals, ethical dilemmas, the need for early […]

Why young people attempt suicide in India: A qualitative study of vulnerability to action

Suicidal behaviours among young people in India are a major public health problem. An understanding of the reasons for suicide attempts from survivor perspectives is essential to developing suicide prevention programs for this population, as these can provide valuable insights into concerns that are unique to young people, and direct the focus of such programs towards these […]

Structuring roles and gender identities within families explaining suicidal behavior in South India

Background: This paper examines the social structures, culture, gendered roles, and their implications for suicidal behavior in South India. Exploring the cultural process within the structures of family and society to understand suicide and attempted suicide from the perspectives of survivors, mental health professionals, and traditional healers has not been achieved in the existing suicide-related research […]

Sociodemographic characteristics of women who died by suicide in India from 2014 to 2020: Findings from surveillance data

Background Women in India have twice the suicide death rate (SDR) compared with the global average for women. The aim of this study is to present a systematic understanding of sociodemographic risk factors, reasons for suicide deaths, and methods of suicide among women in India at the state level over time. Methods Administrative data on […]

A tertiary care hospital in northern India: A study of psychiatric morbidity in patients presented with attempted suicide

Suicide is a serious global public health concern that impacts people everywhere. Every year, it causes close to a million fatalities. Knowing the events that result in a suicidal attempt may help in the development  of suicide prevention techniques because a past suicidal attempt is the best indicator of a future suicide. One of the […]