Factors that may contribute to elevated rates of suicide in rural communities in Australia were examined. A literature review found collective & contextual factors seem to be of particular importance as possible contributors to the elevated rate of suicide among rural males. These include rural socioeconomic decline, facilitators & barriers to service utilization such as service availability & accessibility, rural culture, community attitudes to mental illness & help-seeking, & exposure to firearms. These factors need to be tested in empirical studies that consider both individual & community-based risk factors, & are designed to enable exploration of likely within-rural differences. (65 refs.)