Understanding Suicide and Suicide Prevention Strategies in a Global Context (FutureLearn)

Offered by University of Glasgow,
Understanding Suicide and Suicide Prevention Strategies in a Global Context (FutureLearn)

Develop an understanding of suicide in a global context. Learn about suicide risk factors and ways to help prevent it. Recognise suicide risk and optimise prevention worldwide. Suicide is preventable, yet it is estimated that a person dies by suicide every 40 seconds somewhere in the world. This equates to over 800,000 people dying by suicide worldwide each year.

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On this course, you will gain a broader understanding of suicide as a worldwide issue. You will analyse global suicide rates and patterns and explore common risk factors. You will explore the social and cultural factors that can influence suicidal behaviour. You will also look at suicide prevention strategies and learn how these can be enforced in communities.

What topics will you cover?

  • Definitions of suicide and self-harm
  • Risk factors for suicide with consideration of mental illness and substance misuse
  • Global suicide rates: issues and variations with international data
  • Legality of suicide
  • Stigma experiences related to suicide
  • The impact of suicide
  • Media reporting of suicide
  • Health promotion and suicide prevention

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Explain some of the risk factors for suicide in the global context
  • Reflect on the impact of suicide at a personal and societal level
  • Produce examples of different strategies used to try and reduce the risk of suicide
  • Explore the role of stigma in the context of suicide
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