Contributing and Mitigating Factors of Suicide Among People of African Background Living in Australia: A Scoping...

Suicide remains a critical global public health concern, with migrants facing heightened vulnerability due to pre- and post-migration factors. African migrants in Australia are particularly affected, facing disproportionate suicide risk. This scoping review explores existing evidence on contributing and mitigating factors for suicide among African migrants living in Australia. A comprehensive search of academic databases (PsycINFO, Medline, Scopus, and PubMed), Google Scholar, and grey literature identified nine relevant studies published between 2000 and 2023. Thematic analysis, guided by a socio-ecological framework, revealed suicide contributing factors across four levels: individual (e.g. trauma, unemployment, low context-specific skills), family/relationship (e.g. family separation), community (e.g. cultural conflict, disrupted networks, identity crisis), and society (e.g. service barriers, visa insecurity). Mitigating factors also emerged at each level, including individual resilience and religiosity, strong family and community support, and secure residency status. Distinct experiences highlight the need for culturally responsive, community-led strategies addressing their unique challenges.