Suicide and self-harm

Suicide and self-harm are major health and societal issues worldwide, but the greatest burden of both behaviours occurs in low-income and middle-income countries. Although rates of suicide are higher in male than in female individuals, self-harm is more common in female individuals. Rather than having a single cause, suicide and selfharm are the result of a complex interplay of several factors that occur throughout the life course, and vary by gender, age, ethnicity, and geography. Several clinical and public health interventions show promise, although our understanding of their effectiveness has largely originated from high-income countries. Attempting to predict suicide is unlikely to be helpful. Intervention and prevention must include both a clinical and community focus, and every health professional has a crucial part to play.

Automated summary

Suicide and self-harm are major health and societal issues worldwide, with a higher burden observed in low-income and middle-income countries. The causes of these behaviors are multifactorial, influenced by factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, and geography. Clinical and public health interventions offer promise, but their effectiveness has mostly been studied in high-income countries. Predicting suicide is unlikely to be helpful, and intervention and prevention efforts should involve both clinical and community approaches, involving every healthcare professional.