Recap — Calling for a Public Health Approach to Suicide in China’s Scientific Community, with Cary Wu

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Published on April 17, 2025

On March 19, 2025, Dahdaleh faculty fellow Cary Wu delved into the pressing issue of suicide within China’s scientific community, highlighting the urgent need for a public health approach tailored to this context. Drawing from a working paper co-authored with students from the University of Science and Technology in Beijing, Wu presented findings from a database of 143 reported suicide cases, 130 of which occurred in China involving graduate students and faculty primarily from the nation’s top research institutions.

Wu noted that although national suicide rates in China have declined, media reports suggest an increasing number of cases within academia. His analysis identified patterns: most cases involved young male academics from elite science and engineering programs, with jumping from buildings being the most reported method. Causes drawn from media narratives frequently referenced academic and institutional pressures, family stress or a combination with gendered differences in framing.

Stressing that suicide is not solely an individual mental health issue but a social process, Wu explored how political, institutional and cultural pressures such as China's ambition to lead in global science contribute to psychological distress in academic settings.

Central to his presentation was a call to reconceptualize suicide as a public concern. Wu proposed a public health framework organized around shifting perspectives, improving documentation, expanding research and developing specific interventions. He acknowledged the limitations of relying on media sources alone and emphasized the critical need for systematic data collection.

Wu concluded by urging universities and government bodies to address suicide openly, reduce mental health stigma and enact reforms that support the well-being of scholars. He clarified that this work represents a call for, rather than the completion of, a public health approach to suicide prevention in China’s academic community.

Connect With Cary Wu.

Watch the seminar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD3MWjA3lIY

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