Ella Arensman

Professor Ella Arensman is Research Professor with the School of Public Health, University College Cork and Chief Scientist with the National Suicide Research Foundation, Ireland. She is Vice President of the European Alliance Against Depression, and past President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention. She is Visiting Professor with the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Brisbane, and an expert advisor for WHO.
Prof Arensman has been involved in research and prevention into suicide, self-harm and related mental health and social issues for more than 30 years, with emphasis on risk and protective factors associated with suicide and self-harm, and effectiveness of suicide prevention and self-harm intervention programmes. In Ireland, she played a key role in developing the first and second National Suicide Prevention Programme: Reach Out, 2005-2014, and Connecting for Life, 2015-2020. She has published over 140 papers in peer review journals as well as reports for government departments and policy makers.

girl and boy looking over a wall

An understanding of suicide and self harm

Self-harm and suicide are major public health problems. We asked Professor Ella Arensman, Research Professor at the school of Public Health, University College Cork and a Chief Scientist at the National Suicide Research Foundation, to share her knowledge so that our readers can learn more about the causes of suicide and self-harm in Ireland. You can also download a document with further information and help at the end of this article.

Health 5 min read