title: Examining student perspectives on suicidal behaviour and its prevention in Sri Lanka.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicidal behaviour, primarily through self-poisoning, is a major public health problem among youth in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article describes a qualitative study of student perspectives on suicidal behaviour and its prevention. Focus groups were held with students 17-20 years of age. A discussion of the perceived causes of suicidal behaviour provided the context for discussing prevention efforts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants identified pathways to suicidal behaviour and emphasized experiential aspects and the variability of fatal intent. Suggestions for prevention tended to emphasize the strengthening of community-oriented actions in order to better realize lethal means restrictions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8. rratnaya@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Ruwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ratnayake
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Links
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011203:Poverty; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention