Suicide Across Cultures. Understanding the variation and complexity of the suicidal process across ethnicities and cultures

Over 700,000 people globally take their own lives every year, which equates to one death by suicide every 40 seconds. Among teenagers and young adults, suicide is the second most common cause of death after road traffic accidents. Overall, almost three times as many men than women die by suicide. There are, however, significant variations in the patterns of suicide across cultures, gender, age, geographic locations, and personal history, due to the complex relationship of how these factors converge. One thing that remains consistent, is that every death is a tragedy for family, friends, and all colleagues.

Traditions of suicidal behaviour are deeply rooted in any given culture, and so examining the cultural influences can be of paramount importance in the understanding and assessment of a suicidal crisis.
Suicide Across Cultures offers the opportunity to expand knowledge beyond majority groups and to look further than the dominant paradigm in suicide research, treatment, and prevention.

With the majority of global suicides taking place in non-Western societies, minority groups are an essential area in suicide research. Written by experts from around the world, this fascinating textbook includes topics and regions that are not usually covered in texts on suicide and self-harm. It provides a unique, and important insight for academics and students in psychiatry, as well as anyone from the wider public with an interest in the psychiatry of suicide across cultures.

• Examines the cultural influences, and variations in understanding and assessing a suicidal crisis
• Expands knowledge in research, treatment, and prevention in the field of suicidology beyond majority groups
• Explores broad cultural topics in suicide, as well as analysing cultures and regions that are not usually covered in texts on suicide and self-harm
• Written by experts in the field from around the world

CONTENTS

Part 1 – Influencing factors on suicide and suicidal behaviour 
1:Terminology of suicide, suicidal behaviour and the meaning of suicide in different cultural backgrounds
2:Cultural factors in suicide
3:The role of culture in a suicidal process
4:Epidemiological aspects of suicide and suicidality
5:Genetic aspects of suicide
6:Gender inequality and suicide: a systematic review of empirical studies
7:Suicide and religion: a comparative analysis of a complex relationship to pnform practice
Part 2 – Suicidality, migrants, and ethnic minorities
8:Suicide among asian migrants in Hong Kong: a case study
9:Suicide prevention in sub-Saharan Africa: cultural considerations and opportunities to advance research and practice
10:Suicide risk in Latin America: international migrants, prison populations and sexual minorities
11:Suicidal behaviour and social cultural factors among immigrants of Turkish origin in Germany
Part 3 – High risk groups and suicidality
12:Suicidal behaviour and social cultural factors among South Asians in the UK
13:Suicidality in black and people of colour communities
14:Suicide in Nepal
15:Suicide in Indonesia
16:Suicide scripts of the Nacirema (aka American)
Part 4 – Suicidality and mental health
17:Suicidality and trauma
18:Suicide and psychiatric disorders
19:Bullying, cyberbulling, and suicide
20:The influence of religion on euthanasia and physician assisted suicide
21:Suicide during the global COVID-19 pandemic
Part 5 – Prevention concepts and programs
22:National strategies and plans for the prevention of suicide
23:The role of media in suicidality in lower and middle-income countries: learnings from India
24:Ethnic aspects in pharmacological treatment of suicidality