Background: Suicide is a serious problem in East Asia. Yet, there is a significant lack of research on the topic, particularly using qualitative methodology.
Objectives: This scoping review reports on findings drawn from 11 qualitative studies, providing up-to-date knowledge and understandings about suicide in East Asian populations.
Methods: A web-based literature search was performed to identify empirical qualitative research articles addressing suicide in East Asia, published from January 2002 to December 2011.
Results: Three themes were identified within the reviewed studies; (1) influence of cultural beliefs; (2) the role of caregivers; and (3) specific sociological contexts. These themes are interrelated rather than mutually exclusive.
Conclusion: The findings drawn from this scoping review reveal specific as well as broad contexts where suicidal ideation and behaviours occur among East Asians. To advance understandings, future studies should focus on comparative and longitudinal research to distil prevailing trends as well as the specificities that reside among particular East Asian subgroups (i.e. gender, sexual identity and generational) as a means to developing culturally sensitive and targeted suicide prevention programs.