Argentina and Uruguay researchers link suicide prevention to justice and low help‑seeking

Judicial experts from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, presented a locally developed investigation on suicide at a national forum, arguing that the phenomenon must be addressed beyond health services. Social expert Mariángeles Villarreal and forensic psychologist Antonella Rossi highlighted the role of courts, police and other institutions in early detection and multidisciplinary prevention.

In Uruguay, the University of the Republic unveiled a nationwide survey on attitudes toward pain, death and suicide. The study, presented by rector Héctor Cancela and researchers Mariángeles Caneiro and Pablo Hein, found that seven out of ten people who feel persistent sadness or depressive thoughts do not seek professional help, while a majority prioritize emotional over physical pain and a notable share use psychotropic medication without prescription. Both events underscore the need for coordinated, cross‑sector strategies to address mental‑health crises in the region.