Suicide in Asia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

This chapter describes some of the sociocultural and demographic details of the Asian continent. Mental health research in Asian countries shows high prevalence of common mental disorders. Data on suicide show that a few highly populated countries of Asia contribute 60% of the world's suicides. There is good evidence that media portrayal of suicide can lead to suicide contagion, particularly if it is given undue prominence, sensationalized, glorified, or explicitly described. Alcohol abuse or dependence also features in Asian suicides though there is a great variation between different countries, as well as within the same country. Asia is the largest continent and contributes almost 60% to annual global suicides. If the global suicide rate is to be decreased, then suicide rates in Asian countries need to be reduced. The best approach to stimulating a suicide prevention agenda in Asia and the Pacific is to concurrently encourage basic research, and intervention practices.