YOUTH SUICIDES IN PAKISTAN – PRIORITIZING PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES FOR A RISING PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM

Authors

  • Abdul Wahab Yousafzai Department of Psychiatry, Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad-Pakistan
  • Saman Yousuf Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55519/JAMC-03-12171

Keywords:

Youth, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Culture, Pakistan

Abstract

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports 90% of these suicides occur in lower-and-middle income countries (LMICs). Approximately a quarter of the population of Pakistan is under 19 years of age. Local research shows an alarming rise in suicides among youth and points to a complex set of biological, psychosocial and cultural factors. The time has come to shift our focus to planning culturally appropriate, indigenous preventative strategies engaging multiple sectors of the society to address this problem.

Author Biographies

Abdul Wahab Yousafzai, Department of Psychiatry, Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad-Pakistan

FCPS (Psychiatry) Professor & Head of Psychiatry Department

Saman Yousuf, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

FCPS (Psychiatry), Ph.D (Suicide Studies)

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Additional Files

Published

2023-07-09

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