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. 2024 Aug:98:104126.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104126. Epub 2024 Jun 21.

Challenges and priorities for suicide prevention in Southeast Asia: Insights from the Partnerships for Life regional workshop on suicide prevention

Vikas Menon  1 , Anish V Cherian  2 , Farzana Ahmed  3 , Virtu Chongtham  4 , Chencho Dorji  5 , Kamal Gautam  6 , Abdullah Al-Harun  3 , Fathimath Hudha  7 , Rubina Jahan  8 , Rishav Koirala  9 , Isa Multazam Noor  10 , Supa Pengpid  11 , Thilini Rajapakse  12 , Manuel Dos Santos  13 , Parbati Shrestha  6 , Khin Yadana Soe  14 , Chathurie Suraweera  15 , Win Moh Moh Thit  16 , Greg Armstrong  17 , Lakshmi Vijayakumar  18
Affiliations

Challenges and priorities for suicide prevention in Southeast Asia: Insights from the Partnerships for Life regional workshop on suicide prevention

Vikas Menon et al. Asian J Psychiatr. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

Compared to the West, suicide prevention in the Southeast Asian (SEA) region is challenging due to resource constraints, a relatively greater contribution of social compared to psychological factors, and low levels of general awareness coupled with high stigma around suicide and mental illness. Collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential to circumvent these challenges. The Partnerships for Life (PfL) initiative of the International Association of Suicide Prevention aims to enhance knowledge sharing, foster collaboration between nations, and support the development and implementation of evidence-informed approaches to suicide prevention. In February 2024, the SEA region of the PfL conducted the first regional workshop on suicide prevention, in which representatives from 10 out of 12 SEA nations participated. In this paper, we outline the key priorities, challenges, strengths, and opportunities for suicide prevention in the region with a view to inform resource-effective suicide prevention strategies that have optimal utility and uptake.

Keywords: Attempted suicide; Challenges and opportunities; Digital health; Southeast Asia; Suicide; Suicide prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest LV is the regional coordinator of the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s Partnerships for Life initiative for the Southeast Asian region. VM and AVC are regional co-coordinators for the Partnerships for Life initiative for the Southeast Asian region Other authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to the contents of the manuscript.

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