Suicide prevention. Robert D Goldney. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008  (xi +105 pp). ISBN 978 0 19 953325 1.

It is only in the past 15 years that suicide has been acknowledged as a potentially preventable public health concern, requiring broad national policies. Of course, much has been known about suicide for centuries, and this historical context is well described in Suicide prevention, Robert Goldney’s concise, well written overview. Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Adelaide, and an internationally acclaimed suicidologist and past president of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, his inexpensive pocketbook is very topical, given the current climate of global economic downturn.

Despite the brevity of the text, Goldney clearly outlines the major issues relevant to suicide prevention from policy to practice. Perhaps the chapters on individual and clinical factors are stronger than those related to broader society and policy, a reflection, possibly, of Goldney’s clinical academic background, but it is a minor point. The clinical chapters provide the clinician with lucid, broad guidelines to aid assessment and management of the suicidal patient without being at all prescriptive. The recognition that the suicidal patient can be a challenge for many clinicians is crucial and timely. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies are adequately covered.

Key messages are helpfully summarised at the beginning of each chapter, and throughout there are boxes and tables outlining important issues. While there are references for each chapter, these seem to be more of a bibliography without any attempt to identify those that are more important. A brief list of useful website links is also provided.

Although there are many books about suicide on the market, Suicide prevention fills a niche for students of various health disciplines, policymakers, and clinicians, by virtue of the relatively comprehensive yet succinct coverage of the topic.