Worldwide, at least 1 million people die by suicide
each year and many millions more attempt suicide.
However, suicide has been increasingly recognised as a
preventable problem in many cases. Because of this, and
the rising rates of suicide in young people, many
countries have established national suicide prevention
strategies. These include the United Kingdom, the USA,
Scandinavian countries, other countries in Europe,
Australia and New Zealand. There is also increasing
emphasis on the treatment of suicidal people and those
who have made suicide attempts. In order to be
effective, it is imperative that strategies for
treatment and prevention are based on sound scientific
evidence. In this book, leading figures from psychiatry,
psychology, epidemiology, public health, and social
medicine bring together the research evidence concerning
the key elements in suicide prevention and treatment of
suicidal behaviour and translate it into implications
for practical action. This includes social and public
health policy as well as clinical practice. The book
draws together the evidence relevant to treatment and
prevention, and uses this in order to highlight the most
effective approaches.The range of initiatives covered is
wide, reflecting the complex nature of suicide and hence
the need for a range of approaches. This book will be an
essential source for anyone concerned with the design
and implementation of effective suicide prevention
strategies, including clinicians working with individual
patients, strategic policy makers, and
researchers. |
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