Objective - To try and specify questions of special relevance for suicidological research. Methods - Discussing the merits of questions pertaining to epidemiology and various theories on suicidal behaviour. Results - Four types of questions are defined: How many persons show suicidal behaviour? Who are they? Why do they do it? and What can we do about it? Answers to the first three questions are required when approaching question four: What can we do about it? Conclusion - The complex patterns and backgrounds of suicidal behaviour call for interdisciplinarity and for an increase in both multifactorial and process-related approaches as well as practicable, evidence-based and feasible intervention efforts.
