A New Journal in Suicidology: "Southeast Asian Journal of Suicide Prevention"

Abstract

It is a great excitement to write the opening editorial of a suicidology journal from a suicide-dense region with low and middle-income country (LMIC) background. Suicide is a global public health problem with regional variations (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Every year, more than 700 000 people died by suicide in the world (WHO, 2021). Among them, 77% were died in LMICs. Although 77% of suicides are happening in LMICs, one bibliometric analysis found that about 15% of research output was noted in LMICs between 1991 and 2022. The suicide research output in South East Asia Region (SEAR) was only 3.4% (Arafat et al., 2024a). Another study assessed the editors of the top three journals in suicidology and found only 3.5% of editors are from LMICs where only one editor (female editor from India) was in SEAR (Arafat et al., 2024b). In other words, there is a significant gap in research output and representation in suicidology, particularly evident in the SEAR. The disparity in research focus and underrepresentation of LMIC editors underscore the urgent need for a more inclusive and regionally targeted approach to address the complex challenges posed by suicide in these regions.