Introduction to the PLOS ONE collection on ‘Understanding and preventing suicide: Towards novel and inclusive approaches’

Abstract

More than 700,000 people lose their lives to suicide each year and evidence suggests that the current COVID-19 pandemic is leading to increases in risk factors for suicide and suicide-related behaviour, in particular among young people. It is widely documented that some sectors of the population are over-represented in the suicide statistics. It is also well established that the pathways that lead someone to a suicidal crisis are complex and differ across regions and sectors of the population; as such a multi-faceted approach to prevention is required. Many of us would also argue that novel approaches, that combine broad population-based strategies with individual interventions, and approach..