Global Trends in Suicide Prevention

I have the tremendous privilege of traveling internationally to do the work of suicide prevention and suicide grief support. On hand, it’s very humbling to see how this tragedy shows up all over the globe. On the other hand, it’s very inspiring to see how different countries and cultures find innovative approaches to address suicide. In this podcast, I interview the current President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, Professor Murad Khan. We discuss some of the important cultural and social determinants of suicide as we look at why some countries’ suicide rates are going down, and why others — like the United States — are going up. We also share a number of ways that we can regain our humanity in a global cooperation effort in suicide prevention.

About Dr. Murad M. Khan

Dr. Murad M Khan, MBBS, MRCPsych, CCST, PhD is Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Psychiatry at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. He is also Associate Faculty at the Center for Bioethics & Culture (CBEC), Karachi. He received his psychiatric and research training in the UK. He is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists & obtained his PhD from King’s College, University of London.

Prof. Khan is current President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and leads organization’s global suicide prevention strategy. He has published widely on suicidal behavior in Pakistan and developing countries, focusing on epidemiology and socio-cultural and religious factors in suicide and self-harm.

His other research and clinical interests include mental health of women and elderly, medical and organizational ethics and narrative medicine.

Show Notes

Professor Murad Khan https://www.akdn.org/our-stories/prof-murad-moosa-khan-iasps-first-asian-president

International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/

World Congresses for Suicide Prevention https://www.iasp.info/congresses.php

World Health Organization’s Suicide Prevention Resources

A Global Imperative: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/preventing-suicide-a-global-imperative
Suicide in the World https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/suicide-in-the-world
Other resources: https://www.who.int/health-topics/suicide#tab=tab_1

World Suicide Prevention Day https://www.iasp.info/wspd2020/

Muslim Faith and Suicide https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life/religion-specific-materials/muslim

Suicide and Attempted Suicide in Pakistan (Khan) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12968025_Suicide_and_Attempted_Suicide_in_Pakistan

Beyond Rates: The Tragedy of Suicide in Pakistan (Khan) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/004947550303300203

Case–control study of suicide in Karachi, Pakistan

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/casecontrol-study-of-suicide-in-karachi-pakistan/C8A935D5E222CB2C6FDD49E241EDD4B7/core-reader

Khan, M. M. (2002). Suicide on the Indian subcontinent. Crisis, 23(3), 104-107.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_psychiatry/95

Homicide Bombers: Life as a Weapon (Khan): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233549076_Homicide_Bombers_Life_as_a_Weapon

Narrative Medicine

“Which weighs upon the heart”: https://hekint.org/2017/05/08/which-weighs-upon-the-heart/
“The ‘Lesson’ by Murad M. Khan (guest writer)” http://anitinerantobserver.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-lesson-by-murad-m-khan-guest-writer.html
“The Reminder by Murad M. Khan (guest writer)'“ http://anitinerantobserver.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-reminder-by-murad-m-khan-guest.html

‘The one truly serious philosophical problem’: Ethical aspects of suicide (Khan) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44654488_'The_one_truly_serious_philosophical_problem'_Ethical_aspects_of_suicide

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