Psychosocial risk factors of youth suicide in the Western Pacific: A scoping review

Introduction: The Western Pacific region accounts for 25% of global suicide rates globally. In the last decade, however, there is a rising concern over the rate of youth suicides in the region. In line with the regional vision of reducing the rate of non-communicable diseases by 2025, the study contributes to the literature by utilizing a scoping review approach to identify psychosocial risk factors associated with youth suicide in the region.

Method: Publications on youth suicide in the Western Pacific region between 2010 and 2021 were reviewed. A total of 43 publications met the inclusion criteria and were read in full.

Results: Psychosocial risk factors associated with suicide in each publication were identified and thematically classified into five themes: interpersonal factors, history of abuse, academic factors, work factors, and minority status.

Discussion: Findings showed discrepancies in youth suicide research across member nations in the Western Pacific. Implications for regional policies on suicide prevention and future research were discussed.