The Suicide Research Unit (ESO) at Ghent University is dedicated to advancing the understanding and prevention of suicidal behaviour through scientific research.
By combining multidisciplinary expertise with long-term data and international collaboration, the unit generates insights that inform policy, improve care, and support effective prevention strategies.
The Unit aims at stimulating and coordinating the scientific research that is conducted at the Department of Psychiatry of the University Hospital in Gent. This research program includes studies on the occurrence, causes, and prevention of suicide by a multidisciplinary team, based on the biological, psychological, and social determinants of suicidal behaviour. The research work started in 1986, and included initially the monitoring of characteristics of patients referred to the Accident & Emergency department of the University Hospital. This monitoring study still continues, and results in the second largest European data base on attempted suicide including data on more than 10.000 patients.
The Unit for Suicide Research aims at integrating the research projects in research at national and European levels. There is now substantial cooperation with several other research institutes in Europe, whether or not in the context of multicentre studies coordinated by the World Health Organization and the Commission of the European Communities. Close cooperation is established with researchers in, among others, Oxford (UK), Bologna (It), Cork (Ireland) and Odense (Denmark). The Unit for Suicide Research was invited to organize the "7th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour" in 1998 in Gent.
The foundation of the Unit for Suicide Research was considered necessary in view of the unfavorable situation in Belgium when compared to surrounding countries with respect to the occurrence of suicidal behaviour. For instance, an epidemiological overview of the occurrence of suicide reveals that for middle aged women Belgium ranks among the top three worldwide. In certain agegroups suicide is the main cause of death, and suicide is now strongly increasing among young men. Every day approximately seven people commit suicide in Belgium, while the yearly number of attempted suicides is estimated at, at the least, 70.000.
Many myths continue to surround the issue of suicide. For instance, many people believe that suicide occurs ?out of the blue?, without any warning signs. It is widely believed that people who talk about it will not commit suicide. Such myths strongly decrease our opportunities for prevention. The vast majority of suicides do not occur without warning signs, and can be considered as the final step in a suicidal process that starts with thoughts about suicide, suicidal communications, evolves into suicide attempts, and then ends by means of completed suicide. Research has clearly shown that the majority of people who commit suicide have communicated their plans to do so, or have seeked help of, for instance, their general practitioner.
Research findings like these indicate that suicide càn be prevented.