The purpose of this indicator is to measure the suicide mortality rate to assess progress towards achieving SDG Target 3.4: ‘By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being’. This indicator provides essential data on the prevalence and patterns of suicide, which is critical for understanding the mental health status of populations, identifying at-risk groups, and evaluating the effectiveness of suicide prevention strategies and mental health interventions. By monitoring this indicator, policymakers, stakeholders, and organizations can make informed decisions to promote sustainable development and address challenges such as improving mental health services, reducing stigma associated with mental health issues, implementing effective suicide prevention programs, and providing support to vulnerable populations. This indicator helps to ensure that all populations, including those at higher risk of suicide, such as individuals with mental health disorders, marginalized communities, and vulnerable groups, are included in efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, thereby contributing to the overall objective of sustainable, inclusive, and equitable growth. 

This indicator measures the suicide mortality rate to monitor progress towards SDG Target 3.4: ‘By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being’. It is defined as the number of suicide deaths in a year, divided by the population, and multiplied by 100,000. The relevance of this indicator lies in its ability to provide critical data on the prevalence and patterns of suicide, which is essential for understanding the mental health status of populations, identifying at-risk groups, and evaluating the effectiveness of suicide prevention strategies and mental health interventions. The data for this indicator is collected through administrative reports, and it is calculated by dividing the number of suicide deaths in a year by mid-year population for the same calendar year multiplied by 100,000. By tracking this indicator, stakeholders can gain valuable insights into the factors contributing to suicide rates, the effectiveness of mental health and suicide prevention programs, and the needs of at-risk populations, enabling them to make informed decisions to promote sustainable development and address challenges such as improving mental health services, reducing stigma associated with mental health issues, implementing effective suicide prevention programs, and providing support to vulnerable populations.

Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW)

Annual

Rate per 100,000 population

Indicator definition: The Suicide mortality rate is defined as the number of suicide deaths in a year, divided by the population, and multiplied by 100,000.
Geographical coverage: National
Data collection method: Administrative reports. 
Data availability: Data is available from 2008 to 2023.

Suicides are defined in terms of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) (See 3.a)

National

Suicide mortality rate (per 100,000 population) = (Number of suicide deaths in a year x 100,000) / Midyear population for the same calendar year.

The methods used for the analysis of causes of death depend on the type of data available from countries: 

For countries with a high-quality vital registration system including information on cause of death, the vital registration that member states submit to the WHO Mortality Database were used, with adjustments where necessary, e.g. for under-reporting of deaths. 

For countries without high-quality death registration data, cause of death estimates are calculated using other data, including household surveys with verbal autopsy, sample or sentinel registration systems, and special studies.

Policy Development: Use the data to inform and shape policies aimed at improving mental health services, suicide prevention strategies, and support systems for individuals at risk of suicide.
Program Planning and Implementation: Design and implement programs to improve access to mental health care, crisis intervention services, and community support systems, focusing on early intervention, reducing stigma, and providing resources for those at risk of suicide.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Track progress towards SDG Target 3.4 and evaluate the effectiveness of mental health and suicide prevention programs, using the data to measure outcomes, identify gaps, and make evidence-based adjustments to reduce suicide rates and improve mental health care. 
International Comparisons: Compare progress in reducing the suicide rate, identifying best practices and strategies that can be shared to prevent suicide and control globally. 
Reporting and Accountability: Report progress to stakeholders, including governments and international organizations, to ensure accountability and transparency in achieving SDG Target 3.4.

All the metadata shown in this document was gathered from United Nation Statistics Division. The metadata was extracted from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/.