Globally, suicide is one of the leading causes of death. Figures released by World
Health Organization (2017) show 800 000 deaths by suicide every year and an estimated
twenty or more suicide attempts for each suicide. In Australia, suicide accounted for 1.8% of
all deaths and contributed 10.5% of total years of potential life lost in 2016 (Australian
Bureau of Statistics, 2016). In many parts of the world, including Australia and Hong Kong,
suicide is the leading cause of death among individuals aged from 15 to 24 (Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018; Committee on Prevention of Student Suicides, 2016;
World Health Organization, 2017). Recently, the suicide rate of youth in Hong Kong has
further increased (Committee on Prevention of Student Suicides, 2016), with suicide claiming
two times more lives in 2016, compared with 2015. Given these findings, youth suicide has
become a priority public health issue, making suicide and related behaviors one of the most
important research priorities (World Health Organization, 2014).
