There is growing evidence that social, economic and environmental factors, such as cost of living, unemployment, and isolation are associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour. Understanding how socio-economic and environmental factors affect the risk of suicidal behaviour is important to better inform strategies to reduce suicide in Australia. As suicide is complex it is difficult to attribute any one determinants as a cause of suicide but they can have a cumulative and detrimental effect on suicidal thoughts and behaviour.
This area can be studied at a general level by considering the cumulative risk of various determinants, or by learning about specific and individual socio-economic and environmental determinants, while recognising the interaction between the determinants.