Recent increases in suicide rates internationally have
focused attention on suicide as an important area of public health
concern. In this review, strategies developed by various countries to
halt this trend are compared. Nine out of 15 countries respond to
enquiry about the state of development of suicide prevention strategies
and programmes. Comprehensive strategies have been or are being
developed by Finland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden. The
organization of these strategies differs between countries. The
interventions have similar targets and are presented in detail. There
are some similarities in strategy content but evident differences in
organization. Further developments should not only be based on research,
but also consider the diverse experiences of other countries, and they
should incorporate appropriate structures for monitoring and evaluation.
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