Changing pattern of suicide deaths in India

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Suryakant Yadav, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS); Aathavan K. K., International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS); Solveig Argeseanu Cunningham, Emory University; Pravat Bhandari, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS); Udaya Shankar Mishra, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS); Aditi Aditi, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS); Ravita Yadav, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
• Language: English
• Date: 2023-09
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2023 The Author(s)
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.lansea.2023.100265
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia
• Volume: 16
• Start Page: 100265
• Grant/Funding Information: Suryakant Yadav was partially funded by COALESCE program supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Award Number D43 TW011404. We have not received any grant for this study.
• Keywords: prevention; Suicide; mental health disorders; India; self-harm; human psychology
• Research Categories: Psychology, Social; Psychology, Behavioral

Abstract

Suicide is an untimely and avoidable death. It occurs within a societal, cultural, and familial context intertwined with human psychology. Given its proximate connection with mental health disorders, it is a public health concern. Suicide prevention is urgent owing to its repercussions for mortality and means of preventing self-harm. In 2015–2016, any psychological disorders were reported to affect 13.7% of population aged 18 years and older in India.1 Concomitantly, high suicide mortality among adults in India has become a public health concern.1,2 While India’s suicide rate of 14.04/lakh population in 2019 puts it at 49th rank globally, the grim reality of the highest numbers of suicides being reported annually from India cannot be overlooked.