Understanding the Social Determinants of Suicidality Among Young People Aged 12–26 Years: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

Suicidality—including suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicide—is a major public health concern affecting all demographic groups, particularly young people. The World Health Organization recognizes suicidality as a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by psychological, biological, and social determinants. However, the social determinants underlying suicidality among young people remain broadly understudied, which limits a comprehensive understanding of this complex issue. This review aimed to identify the social determinants influencing suicidality among young people aged 12–26 years, across five pre-defined domains in which these determinants operate: demographic, economic, neighborhood, environmental, and socio-cultural. We searched four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Embase) for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies from 2000 to 2026, identifying 325 articles for narrative synthesis. These studies collectively included 5,962,759 participants aged 12–26 years (mean age 15.77 SD 1.56). Across five domains, we identified 73 social determinants that shape suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicide. In the demographic domain, living arrangements—particularly not living with both parents—were associated with increased risk of suicidality, alongside age and sex. In the economic domain, unemployment emerged as a key risk factor. In the neighborhood domain, living in disadvantaged areas was associated with increased risk. For the environmental domain, exposure to disasters or armed conflicts heightened vulnerability. Finally, in the socio-cultural domain, low social connectedness and discrimination increased risk, whereas perceived social support mitigated it. We concluded that social determinants are not static but heterogeneous and interdependent constructs that can precipitate, exacerbate, or mitigate suicidality among young people. Understanding these determinants is essential for informing targeted prevention strategies for this vulnerable age group. To advance our understanding of this interplay, we call for social-wide association studies to be conducted.