Suicide in Latin America: a growing public health issue

Suicide has become an international public mental health challenge, resulting in a need for interventions to address it as an individual, family, and community levels. The current scope review assesses trends regarding suicide within Latin America and the Caribbean: risk factors, protective factors, and mediators of suicidal ideation and behavior. Body: Our review is split into three sections, as a way of addressing the complex topic of suicide in an organized, comprehensive manner: (i) epidemiology of suicide in Latin America and Caribbean; (ii) factors associated to suicide ideation and attempts; and (iii) cultural factors as a predictors and mediators of suicide. Further, proper evidence about the association between suicide and cultural dimensions such as Familismo, Machismo/Marianismo, Religion and Acculturation is provided.

Upon analyzing trends of and factors associated with suicide, we offer recommendations regarding future studies and intervention programs. We conclude that interventions and research should be based on and in response to cultural values and norms related to suicide within each community, in order to make more culturally-specific programs.