Prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide amongst women and girls in South Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A growing body of literature suggests an increased risk of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide among women and girls in South Asia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to appraise the current evidence and estimate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in this population. We systematically searched nine (9) bibliographic databases (PubMed, ASU, Embase, WoS, CINAHL, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, HSNE, and NAHC) and additional sources through December 17, 2021, for studies that reported the prevalence of suicidal ideation or attempted suicide. Random-effect models were used to estimate pooled prevalence. Of 30 eligible studies, 27 reported suicidal ideation and 12 reported attempted suicide. The pooled prevalence of overall suicidal ideation and attempted suicide were 17% (95% CI:14.00–20.00, n ​= ​39674)…