Issues in designing, implementing, and evaluating suicide prevention strategies

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death globally. Suicide prevention has become a policy priority in many countries. Some countries have implemented national suicide prevention strategies, in line with guidance from the United Nations and the World Health Organization. However, there are still several issues that require further attention in relation to suicide prevention strategies. First, although a growing number of countries have adopted national suicide prevention strategies, suicide prevention is still not a health priority globally. Second, there is an ongoing debate regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of individual interventions. Although evidence on interventions from ‘gold standard’ studies (e.g. randomized controlled trials) is desirable, this is often not achievable. Using the best available evidence is a pragmatic approach to the development of suicide prevention strategies. Third, best practice is informed by evaluating what does and does not work. This requires an evaluation of both the efficacy of specific interventions and the effectiveness of suicide prevention strategies as health policy initiatives. A focus on international evaluation data would help to develop global understanding of best practice in relation to suicide prevention.