Macro-level mental health system indicators and cross-national suicide rates
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group
Abstract
Background: The relationship between macro-level mental health system indicators and
population suicide rates is an area of contention in the literature, necessitating an analysis
of current cross-national data to document any new trend in the relationship.
Objective: This study investigated whether mental health system indicators are associated
with national suicide rates.
Method: Using an ecological study design and multivariate non-parametric robust regression
models, data on suicide rates and mental health system indicators of 191 countries retrieved
from WHOs 2017 Mental Health Atlas were compared.
Results: Findings revealed that the average suicide mortality rate was significantly higher in
high- income countries, relative to low-income countries. High-income countries are significantly more likely to have high number of mental health professionals, mental health policies
and legislation, independent mental health authority and suicide prevention programs. These
mental health system indicators demonstrated significant and positive association with
suicide, suggesting that countries scoring high on these factors have higher odds of being
categorized as high suicide risk countries.
Conclusion: The findings have several implications for policy and practice, including the need
to make existing mental health systems very responsive to suicide prevention.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Suicide, mental health, mental health governance, mental health professionals, suicide prevention