Presentation Information
[SY-78-04]A Global Examination of Suicide Prevention Legislations
*Kevin Chien-Chang Wu1,2, Shu-Sen Chang3,4,5 (1.Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Bioethics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine(Taiwan), 2.Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital(Taiwan), 3.Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences and Global Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University(Taiwan), 4.Psychiatric Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University(Taiwan), 5.Population Health Research Center, National Taiwan University(Taiwan))
Keywords:
suicide prevention,legislation,law,act,WHO recommendation
Background
Suicide, defined as the intentional act of ending one’s own life, caused an estimated 700,000 deaths globally in 2019, accounting for 1.3% of total mortality and ranking as the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 29. Beyond individual loss, suicide imposes significant emotional, social, and economic burdens on families and communities. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the importance of comprehensive national prevention strategies, as outlined in Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative (2014) and Live Life: An Implementation Guide for Suicide Prevention in Countries (2021). While some countries have enacted suicide prevention legislation, the extent to which these align with WHO recommendations remains uncertain.
Method
The research team conducted searches on Google and Google Scholar using the terms “suicide prevention” in combination with “act,” “law,” or “legislation” to identify countries and regions with relevant legal frameworks. Retrieved texts were translated into English and analyzed. Drawing from the two WHO reports, twelve key domains were identified as benchmarks for effective suicide prevention. These included public education, responsible media reporting, school-based programs, treatment of mental illness and substance use, care for somatic conditions linked to suicide, early risk identification, crisis response, post-attempt intervention, employment support, and limiting access to lethal means. Each legislation was assessed for inclusion of these domains.
Results
As of April 30, 2025, eight countries—Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Guyana, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and the United States—and two regions—Puerto Rico and South Australia—have enacted suicide prevention legislation. Canada’s 2012 law focuses solely on urging a national suicide prevention framework and addresses only public education. Guyana’s 2022 law covers most domains, except employment support and limiting access to lethal means. Notably, only Taiwan and the Republic of Korea explicitly address the restriction of lethal means in their legislations.
Conclusion
As a national policy instrument, suicide prevention legislation could play a critical role in integrating efforts and defining priorities for suicide prevention. Aligning such laws with the WHO’s evidence-based guidelines, alongside ongoing monitoring and evaluation, is essential for enhancing and sustaining their effectiveness.
Suicide, defined as the intentional act of ending one’s own life, caused an estimated 700,000 deaths globally in 2019, accounting for 1.3% of total mortality and ranking as the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 29. Beyond individual loss, suicide imposes significant emotional, social, and economic burdens on families and communities. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the importance of comprehensive national prevention strategies, as outlined in Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative (2014) and Live Life: An Implementation Guide for Suicide Prevention in Countries (2021). While some countries have enacted suicide prevention legislation, the extent to which these align with WHO recommendations remains uncertain.
Method
The research team conducted searches on Google and Google Scholar using the terms “suicide prevention” in combination with “act,” “law,” or “legislation” to identify countries and regions with relevant legal frameworks. Retrieved texts were translated into English and analyzed. Drawing from the two WHO reports, twelve key domains were identified as benchmarks for effective suicide prevention. These included public education, responsible media reporting, school-based programs, treatment of mental illness and substance use, care for somatic conditions linked to suicide, early risk identification, crisis response, post-attempt intervention, employment support, and limiting access to lethal means. Each legislation was assessed for inclusion of these domains.
Results
As of April 30, 2025, eight countries—Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Guyana, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and the United States—and two regions—Puerto Rico and South Australia—have enacted suicide prevention legislation. Canada’s 2012 law focuses solely on urging a national suicide prevention framework and addresses only public education. Guyana’s 2022 law covers most domains, except employment support and limiting access to lethal means. Notably, only Taiwan and the Republic of Korea explicitly address the restriction of lethal means in their legislations.
Conclusion
As a national policy instrument, suicide prevention legislation could play a critical role in integrating efforts and defining priorities for suicide prevention. Aligning such laws with the WHO’s evidence-based guidelines, alongside ongoing monitoring and evaluation, is essential for enhancing and sustaining their effectiveness.