Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part B (2024)

In this study, the authors relate the socio-economic structure, the existing policy measures, and the national suicide rate. It finds factors influencing suicide rates such as per capita GDP, alcohol consumption, and the existence of National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) using cross-country data. A multiple regression analysis is performed in this study to compare such variables between different nations, revealing that wealthier people, as demonstrated by high per capita GDP, have lower tendencies to commit suicide, thus economic prosperity is a protective trait. On the other hand, higher alcohol use leads to high plight with an increase in the rate of suicide cases in a nation, with nations such as Russia being a perfect example of this trend. The study provides an almost paradoxical observation: the safer the country is for its citizens, and the more committed resources to NSPS, the higher the suicide rates. It often focuses on adopting such NSPS with the aim of tackling the current prevailing problem rather than averting a similar situation. The case studies of Zimbabwe and Russia illustrate how the lack level of economic prosperity combined with drinking poses a significant threat as far as the suicide rate in the two states is concerned. The paper presents ideas to strengthen the national policy, principally in terms of the economic security and alcohol policy, if the main limitations, such as lack of data and its time perspective, are eliminated. These insights aim to inform more effective suicide prevention strategies globally.