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Suicide Prevention        2
    
SUICIDE PREVENTION     
Table of Contents
Introduction    3
Part A: Community Identification    3
Part B: Social Determinants of Health    4
Socioeconomic Status    4
Access to Healthcare Services    5
Social Isolation and Relationships    5
Part C: The Role of Nurses    6
Role of Nurses in Addressing Community Needs    6
Engagement with Community Stakeholders    7
Improved Health Outcomes Through Partnerships    8
The Evolving Role of Healthcare and Nurses in the Community    9
Conclusion    9
References    11
Introduction
    In Australia, suicide has turned out to be one of the most serious public health issues. This health issue has a major impact on vulnerable communities primarily the male population of the rural areas. For instance, Wide Bay, Queensland in Australia has been facing multiple challenges owing to the social determinants of health. The alarming suicide rates in Wide Bay calls for an urgent need of targeted mental health interventions. This report explores characteristics of the community, the key social health determinants of the chosen region that influence the suicide rates, and the role of nurses to improve the mental health outcomes. The report further discusses the strategies, which can be implemented to prevent suicides.
Part A: Community Identification
    Wide Bay is a rural region in Queensland, Australia. This region is popular for its scenic beauty particularly its coastal areas and agricultural lands. However, the region is experiencing some major socio-economic and health challenges. With a population of over 300,000 people, most of the people live in isolated rural regions. One of the most prominent health changes being faced by the region is deteriorating mental health of people and increasing suicide rates among male population of the region.
In rural areas of Australia, cultural norms have been acting as a hindrance for the population to seek help regarding their mental health (Nolan-Isles et al., 2021). Problems further increase owing to social isolation, and economic hardships in the region. This creates a complex environment forcing men in the region to experience anxiety, and depression, which leads to increased cases of suicides. Defining community in the relational perspective of Wide Bay, it can be considered as a region where the mental health and other health outcomes of individuals depends on their connection to one another, their interaction with the environment, and their shared experiences. A sense of hopelessness is a major problem in the region among the male population primarily due to the feeling of isolation.
Part B: Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health refer to the non-medical factors that have a significant influence on the health outcomes of people (Nutbeam & Lloyd, 2021). These factors may include conditions in which the people are born and brought up and they work and eventually age in the same conditions. In case of the increasing number of suicides in Wide Bay region among the male population some of the social determinants of health are identified to be the critical factors. These are:
Socioeconomic Status
    Socioeconomic status is one of the most prominent social determinants of health that shapes the health outcomes of people in (McMaughan, Oloruntoba & Smith, 2020). In comparison to the national average, this region of Australia has higher unemployment rate as compared to the other parts of the country. Therefore, most of the people in the region live in poverty. For men living in the region, they are considered as providers for their families as per their cultural norms and therefore unemployment for them means financial instability, which has a direct impact on their mental health leading to anxiety and depression.
    In Wide Bay, the employment opportunities are limited to agriculture and other seasonal employment opportunities which creates an unstable employment environment in the region leading to poorly paid population in the region. This financial instability causes a feeling of insecurity and hopelessness among people, which in extreme cases lead to the ideation of suicide among the males of Wide Bay. Addressing this determinant is crucial for better mental health outcomes to reduce the rate of suicide. Employment opportunities in the region need to be improved to ensure financial support for the people.
Access to Healthcare Services
    Poor access to healthcare services is another crucial social determinant of health, which primarily affects the male population of Wide Bay. This is a rural region in Australia and therefore healthcare facilities primarily mental healthcare facilities are significantly poor in the region (Inacio et al., 2021). Also, there is a significant shortage of trained, skilled, and experienced healthcare professionals. Also, costs associated with the treatment are...