Background: Social exclusion is a considerable burning issue for society which entail significant pressure on the population mental health.Little investigation on the influence of social exclusion on suicide behaviour was performed.Proper focus of preventive interventions may help to decrease the burden of suicide mortality in Europe.Aims: The general purpose of the study was to obtain knowledge about the relationship between several aspects of social exclusion and suicide mortality in European countries.Economic, social and group (elderly) dimensions of social exclusion have been considered in the study to prove the relationship.Methods: for countries of Western and Eastern Europe, mean age-adjusted, gender-specific suicide rates in the last five years for which data had been available were obtained from the WHO European Mortality Database.Employment rates were obtained from the Conference Board Total Economy Database.Data about social expenditures were taken from the database of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.Data on labour-market exit ages were obtained from the EUROSTAT database.Questions about citizens attitudes towards different aspects of social exclusion were taken from the European Social Survey.Correlations between above indicators and suicide rates were analysed using Pearsons test.Differences between mean scores for Western and Eastern European attitudes were calculated.Results: Employment and suicide trends are negatively correlated in most countries.Suicide mortality is associated with unemployment risk and expectations of inadequate financial resources during unemployment, and negatively correlated with an assured high standard of living for the unemployed.Attitudes towards employment and unemployment in Eastern and Western Europe diverge.Correlations between social expenditure and suicide trends are negative in most countries.Inverse correlations between attitudes towards social welfare and suicide mortality rates were revealed among males only.Confidence in social welfare is stronger in Western Europe.Favourable attitudes towards elderly are inversely correlated with suicide mortality.Elderly suicide mortality and labour-market exit age are inversely correlated.In Eastern European countries, elderly peoples status and economic contribution are seen as less important.Conclusion: Changes in employment rates are associated with suicide mortality in the majority of European countries studied.Lack of confidence in employment status, expectation of insufficient income and low living standards for the unemployed may boost suicide mortality.Suicidal behaviour is more strongly related to attitudes associated with employment status in the male than in the female population.Attitudes to employment and unemployment in Eastern and Western Europe differ.In Eastern Europe the status of being unemployed is feared more and people rely more on the government.Stronger confidence in social welfare may have suicide-preventive effect.Confidence in social welfare is stronger in the countries of Western Europe.Societys attitudes towards elderly people may influence their suicide mortality.Attitudes towards elderly people are more favourable among Western European than Eastern European citizens.Extended labour-market inclusion of the elderly may play a suicide-protective role for this age group.Social exclusion is associated with increased suicide rates.