title: Cross-national prevalence and risk factors for suicidal ideation, plans and attempts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide; however, the prevalence and risk factors for the immediate precursors to suicide - suicidal ideation, plans and attempts - are not wellknown, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report on the prevalence and risk factors for suicidal behaviours across 17 countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 84 850 adults were interviewed regarding suicidal behaviours and socio-demographic and psychiatric risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cross-national lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts is 9.2% (s.e.=0.1), 3.1% (s.e.=0.1), and 2.7% (s.e.=0.1). Across all countries, 60% of transitions from ideation to plan and attempt occur within the first year after ideation onset. Consistent cross-national risk factors included being female, younger, less educated, unmarried and having a mental disorder. Interestingly, the strongest diagnostic risk factors were mood disorders in high-income countries but impulse control disorders in low- and middle-income countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is cross-national variability in the prevalence of suicidal behaviours, but strong consistency in the characteristics and risk factors for these behaviours. These findings have significant implications for the prediction and prevention of suicidal behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. nock@wjh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nock
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Evelyn J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bromet
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beautrais
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruffaerts
authors.forename: Wai Tat
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Girolamo
authors.forename: Semyon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gluzman
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Oye
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gureje
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.forename: Yueqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Jean Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lepine
authors.forename: Daphna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Medina-Mora
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Posada-Villa
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data