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Health Risk Behaviours: Self-Injury and Suicide in Young People
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Health Risk Behaviours: Self-Injury and Suicide in Young People

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 September 2025 | Viewed by 520

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jo Bell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology and Social Work, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
Interests: self-harm; suicide; young people;public health; lived experience
Dr. Cathy Brennan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NL, UK
Interests: public mental health; self-harm and suicical behaviour; evaluation of complex interventions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Self-injury and suicide among young people have become a pressing public health concern for contemporary society. Rates of self-injury have been rising sharply over the past two decades, particularly in the last five years, and suicide rates remain unacceptably high. Addressing these challenges demands a multifaceted approach that integrates theoretical, empirical, and practical perspectives. This Special Issue welcomes submissions that explore the complex dimensions of self-injury and suicide in young people. Contributions may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Qualitative research: studies capturing lived experiences and contextual factors related to self-injury and suicide.
  • Reviews: systematic reviews, narrative reviews, or scoping reviews synthesizing existing knowledge.
  • Theoretical and conceptual articles: innovative frameworks or critical insights into understanding and addressing these issues.
  • Practice-focused articles: studies addressing therapeutic interventions for vulnerable young people or research that informs mental health service delivery.
  • Ethics and implementation: discussions of ethical considerations and implementation challenges in intervention.
  • Actionable insights and strategies: contributions offering evidence-based interventions or practical strategies for schools, communities, and mental health services.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jo Bell
Dr. Cathy Brennan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • self-injury
  • suicide
  • young people
  • public health
  • lived experience
  • interventions
  • mental health services

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 366 KiB  
Article
Suicide and Self-Harming Among Young Women: A Qualitative Exploratory Study in Southern Punjab, Pakistan
by Farooq Ahmed, Eileen Yuk Ha Tsang, Razia Anjum, Najma Iqbal Malik, Sidra Zia, Rashed Nawaz, Jeffrey S. Wilkinson and Yueyao Fang
Healthcare 2025, 13(11), 1284; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111284 - 29 May 2025
Abstract
Background: Suicide and self-injury are serious public health concerns, especially in young populations, owing to multiple social, cultural, and gender determinants. Qualitative evidence exploring narratives regarding the factors behind suicide among young women is rare in Pakistan. Objective: The present study aims to [...] Read more.
Background: Suicide and self-injury are serious public health concerns, especially in young populations, owing to multiple social, cultural, and gender determinants. Qualitative evidence exploring narratives regarding the factors behind suicide among young women is rare in Pakistan. Objective: The present study aims to explore the complex dimensions of suicide or self-injury among young women of Southern Punjab. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a marginalized district in South Punjab, with participants consenting to in-person meetings at their homes or phone interviews. We collected detailed accounts of fifteen deceased girls or self-harm survivors, with insights provided by close relatives of the victims. Results: Our findings identified several conducive factors to suicidality, including receiving insults in front of others, low self-esteem, household pressures, work burdens, unfulfilled romantic desires, feelings of worthlessness, cheating in love, marriage without choice, and engagement in risky behaviors. These causes could be categorized into personal (such as an inferiority complex), social (a lack of family support and frequent conflicts), and cultural factors (forced marriages). Conclusions: Our study advocates for empowering women through education and restricting access to suicide means, such as pesticides or Paraphenylenediamine (PPD). Moreover, the government should take strict measures to discourage the forced marriage of young females in rural contexts. This study highlights the importance of integrating suicide prevention initiatives with research efforts within Pakistan’s healthcare system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Risk Behaviours: Self-Injury and Suicide in Young People)
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13 pages, 222 KiB  
Article
Rates of Suicide Ideation and Associated Risk Factors Among Female Secondary School Students in Iraq
by Saad Sabet Alatrany, Molly McCarthy, Ashraf Muwafaq Flaiyah, Emma Ashworth, Hasan ALi Sayyid ALdrraji, Abbas Saad Alatrany, Dhiya Al-Jumeily, Sarmad Nadeem, Jo Robinson and Pooja Saini
Healthcare 2025, 13(11), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111260 - 27 May 2025
Viewed by 139
Abstract
Background: The suicide rate among Iraqis is rising, with many analysts attributing it to political instability, exposure to trauma, economic hopelessness, social stigma surrounding mental health as well as cultural and societal pressures. However, the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated risk factors [...] Read more.
Background: The suicide rate among Iraqis is rising, with many analysts attributing it to political instability, exposure to trauma, economic hopelessness, social stigma surrounding mental health as well as cultural and societal pressures. However, the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated risk factors in Iraqi youth is unknown, requiring urgent attention and effective public health initiatives. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore rates of suicidal ideation and associated risk factors among female secondary school students in Baghdad, Iraq. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted, utilising quantitative survey data collected in four girls’ secondary schools across Baghdad, Iraq, between August and December 2023. The survey consisted of questions relating to their demographic characteristics (age, gender, school) and a series of measures pertaining to participants’ levels of suicidal ideation, as well as factors commonly identified in the literature as predictors of suicide. Results: Four-hundred and two female participants took part. Participants were aged between 13 and 17 years (M = 15.50; SD = 1.22). In total 11.3% of the students scored in the at-risk range for suicidal behaviour and only 20.1% (n = 91) said they had not had some thoughts of suicide in the previous two weeks. Previous diagnoses of anxiety, high levels of depression and hopelessness, and poor quality of life were significant risk factors for suicidal ideation. On average, students reported moderate levels of depression and high levels of hopelessness. Conclusions: Female Iraqi secondary school students experience high levels of suicidality, alongside several other known risk factors for suicide ideation. However, a limitation of this study is that cross-sectional designs limit causal interpretation. Findings emphasise the importance of developing targeted school-based interventions to support students’ mental health. Increasing research and attention in this area is vital to not only improving the mental health of students in Iraq but also reducing the stigma around mental health and suicide. Future policies should include specific mental health support for those young people affected by conflict, displacement and family loss, integrating trauma-informed care into both mental health and educational services. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Risk Behaviours: Self-Injury and Suicide in Young People)
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