Key facts
- More than 720 000 people die due to suicide every year.
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.
- Seventy-three per cent of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.
- The reasons for suicide are multi-faceted, influenced by social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors present across the life-course.
- For every suicide there are many more people who attempt suicide. A prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for suicide in the general population.