Citation

Levi-Belz Y, Gvion Y, Apter A. Front. Psychiatry 2019; 10: e214.

Affiliation

Feinberg Child Study Center, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikvah, Israel.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Frontiers Media)

DOI

10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00214

PMID

31019475

PMCID

PMC6458543

Abstract

It goes without saying that suicide is a major health problem and a leading cause of death worldwide (1, 2). Recent reports inform that around a million people die by suicide annually, representing an annual global age-standardized suicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 populations (15.0 for males and 8.0 for females). Considering a time perspective from 2000 through 2016, the age-adjusted suicide rate has grown by 30%.

These rates are only the tip of an iceberg. For every suicide, there are many more who attempt suicide every year. A cautious estimate suggests that more than 20 million people engage in suicidal behavior annually. Moreover, it is estimated that in the future, the suicide rates are expected to rise, given the WHO’s declaration that suicide rates will pass the 1 million mark in the next 15 years.

Behind each suicide and attempt is a long-term struggle of these individuals as well as experiences of trauma and distress among their relatives and friends. Together, it is evident that suicide prevention comprises a global priority. As clinicians and researchers, we must make every effort to enhance suicide prevention in order to improve our identification, intervention, and, subsequently, prevention of suicide and suicidal behavior...

Language: en

Keywords

intervention; psychology; risk factors; suicide; treatment