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Suicide among children and adolescents in India as a public mental health priority
By Ramakrishnan T, Deac AA, Vivekanandhan S and 5 others.
Abstract
Background
Suicide among children and adolescents (≤ 18 years old) is a growing public health concern in India, contributing to an alarming 6% of total suicides reported in 2022. Despite policy efforts, systemic gaps in prevention, reporting, and mental health infrastructure persist.
Methods/approach
This paper uses secondary data from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) reports (2014-2023) published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to map the key trends and key drivers of suicide among youth in India. Descriptive report estimates on suicide data among individuals aged 0-18 years were categorised by gender, cause, and year. To interpret the underlying drivers of suicide, we applied the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM), which organises risk factors across four levels: individual, interpersonal, community, and societal.