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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) for ICMR multistate implementation research study on suicide prevention interventions in the country.
The main objective of this EoI is to reduce the burden due to suicidal behaviour and promote mental well-being, thereby improving the mental health outcomes in the country.
In India, the suicide rate has been on the rise with a reported rate of 12 per 100,000 of the population in 2021, reflecting a 6.2% increase from the previous year. According to WHO, the crude suicide rate in the age-group 15 years to 29 years (per 100,000 population for both sexes) for India was recorded as 15.721, thus demonstrating the fact that suicidal behaviour has become a significant public health concern, especially among the young age groups.
The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the situation due to factors such as stress, isolation, and economic difficulties. There have been some progressive actions by the country in this regard. One such example is the launch of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy in November 2022, with the objective of reducing suicide mortality by 10% by 2030. Despite these alarming statistics, a suicide prevention framework that is based on scientific interventions is largely lacking in the country.
This EoI will help identify researchers from across the country to join the team being constituted for ICMRs multistate implementation research study on suicide prevention interventions. The selected researchers shall be invited to join the research team and shall collaborate to develop a full proposal.
Suicides are preventable, for every 40 seconds a person dies by suicide somewhere in the world and many more attempt suicide. The inclusion of “Suicide Mortality Rate” as an indicator under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) monitoring framework (Indicator 3.4.2), demonstrates the global commitment to address this issue more effectively. Suicides occur throughout the lifespan, notably, among young people 15-29 years of age, suicide is the second leading cause of death globally.
Other objectives include encouraging the development of evidence-based interventions for suicide prevention, including interventions targeted at school and college students, prioritizing the development, implementation and evaluation of practical, scalable, and sustainable solutions focusing on the integration of local knowledge and expertise in the design and implementation of research projects, foster collaboration and partnerships between government agencies, non-governmental organizations, mental health professionals and community-based organizations to address suicide prevention in India.
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