Suicide Prevention: How Far Are We?

In this course, Dr. Diego DeLeo (Emeritus Professor, AO, DSc, MD, Ph.D., FRCP [Ed], FRANZCP; Dept Psychiatry, Univ. Queensland [Australia]; Dept Community Medicine, West Virginia Univ. [USA]; Dept Psychology, Primorska Univ. [Slovenia]) acknowledges that suicide rates have declined in many areas in the last several decades, but they have increased in the United States, an affluent country which has spent a lot of money on the issue, but which has high income inequality. Noting that other disorders continue at similar prevalence rates but that suicide rates vary by region, DeLeo outlines his role over the decades in suggesting that multidisciplinary approaches which include cultural considerations are needed. While many U.S. programs have suffered from lack of funding, with no sustained initiatives and insufficient infrastructure, DeLeo mentions two successful programs. He notes that national strategies for suicide prevention preparedness need to include the training of gatekeepers, system changes in health care, resilience building, better training of professionals, and increased involvement of those with lived experience.