Transcultural comparisons would be beneficial for both our understanding of suicide phenomena & the setting up of preventative strategies. Changes in attitude throughout history, gender & age differences, socio-economic factors, influence of race & ethnicity, & the impact of religion are among the aspects mentioned in this article. Both risk & protective factors may vary remarkably in different cultures. The need for an integrative approach is evident today more than ever, & this fact calls for more concerted & coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches to suicide prevention. (72 refs)