One person takes their own life every 40 seconds, equating to 803,900 deaths across the world every year, according to the first World Health Organization report on suicide prevention released on Sept. 4. “Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative“ calls for coordinated action to reduce suicide worldwide.
Diego De Leo, director of the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention at Griffith University, who was involved in the preparation of the report, said there had not been any previous reports because suicide was an example of negative behavior rather than a disease, so it did not fall within the jurisdiction of an international entity.
“But this is a fundamental step before we can begin on worldwide suicide prevention,” he said.
The report shows suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds across the world.
Professorial fellow in mental health at the University of Melbourne, Tony Jorm, said suicide stands out in this group because the general death rate is quite low in the young.
“If you’re dealing with older people you get cancer and heart disease as major causes of death but these are very rare in young people because they’re physically healthy,” he said.
But De Leo added that this was the age when people had to build their lives and that, coupled with a lack of experience, made them more vulnerable.
The report also showed men were more likely to die by suicide than women, especially in developed countries where they were three times more likely to die at their own hands.
