Attitudes to suicide

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15-44. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, each year there are more deaths from suicide than from homicide and car crashes combined.

We are trying to understand people's attitudes to suicide and knowledge about suicide. A better understanding of public attitudes towards suicide and knowledge about suicide will enable us to examine what types of attitudes encourage positive outcomes for people who experience suicidal thoughts or behaviours.

Understanding the levels of knowledge around the topic of suicide will also enable future interventions to address deficiencies in knowledge, both within the general community and among caregivers and health professionals. Increased knowledge about suicide may increase help-seeking and reduce unhelpful attitudes towards individuals with suicidal thoughts or behaviours.