Risk factors for attempted suicide and suicide death among South-East Asian women: a scoping review

Worldwide, attempted suicide and suicide death are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Women in South-East Asia are especially vulnerable, as almost 50% of all global female suicides occur in the 11 countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region. This scoping literature analysis aimed to identify and analyze the predictors or risk factors for attempted suicide and suicide death among South-East Asian women. A scoping literature review was conducted. Five databases—PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, and EMBASE—were searched. Forty studies and twelve literature reviews were eligible for inclusion. Women in South-East Asia, particularly those who are young and married, living in poverty, with low or no education, living in rural areas, with no employment outside the home, with lower socioeconomic position, and living within joint families are highly vulnerable to suicidality. This review identified gender disadvantage, infertility, domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, family conflicts, husband’s alcohol misuse, child marriage, forced marriages, and dowry disputes as the most significant predictors of attempted suicide and suicide death among South-East Asian women. A better understanding of the phenomenon is essential to develop effective gender-specific and culturally appropriate suicide prevention strategies or interventions.