scholarly journals Research priorities in suicide prevention: an examination of Australian-based research 2007–11

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Robinson ◽  
Jane Pirkis
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Research Council ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Intervention Research ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
National Priority

Objective Suicide prevention, including among youth, has been a national priority in Australia for some time. Yet despite this, rates of suicide, and related behaviour, remain high. The aim of this study was to review all suicide-prevention research that had been conducted in Australia between January 2007 and December 2011, with a specific emphasis on studies relating to young people, in order to determine whether or not we are prioritising the sort of research that can adequately inform policy development and guide ‘best practice’. Methods Data were collected from two sources. First, several electronic databases were searched in October 2012 in order to identify published journal articles relating to suicide, written by Australian authors. Second, summary data obtained from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund and the Australian Research Council were examined in order to identify currently funded studies that relate to suicide. Studies were then classified according to whether or not they had a focus on youth, and according to research type, type of suicide-related behaviour under investigation and method of suicide. Results There were 224 articles published and 12 grants funded that specifically focussed on suicide-related behaviour over the period January 2007 to December 2011. Of these, 47 articles (21%) and five funded grants (42%) focussed on young people. Youth studies, in particular those reported in the published articles, tended to be epidemiological in nature and only six of the published articles (13%) and two of the funded grants related to intervention studies. Conclusions Although the focus on youth is welcome, the lack of intervention studies is disappointing. Given that rates of suicide and related behaviour remain high, there is a clear need for a stronger body of intervention research that can inform national policy, if we are to successfully develop effective approaches to reducing suicide risk. What is known about the topic? Although the prevention of youth suicide has been a national priority for some time, rates of suicide and suicide-related behaviour remain high among young Australians. Much is known about the epidemiology of suicide; however, relatively little is known about which interventions may be effective in reducing this risk. Previous research suggests that although youth receive a reasonable amount of research attention in Australia, the majority of studies focus on epidemiological as opposed to intervention research. What does this paper add? This paper reviews all suicide research that has been conducted in Australia between 2007 and 2011 in order to examine how much attention is currently given to studies relating to youth, and the relative priority given to intervention and epidemiological studies. Our findings support those reported previously, which suggest that although a significant proportion of suicide research focuses on youth, relatively little attention continues to be given to intervention studies. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper argues that further intervention research is needed if we are to build a sufficiently strong evidence base that can effectively inform policy development and guide best practice when it comes to preventing youth suicide in Australia.

scholarly journals Mapping the Evidence of Prevention and Intervention Studies for Suicidal and Self-Harming Behaviors in Young People

Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie De Silva ◽  
Alexandra Parker ◽  
Rosemary Purcell ◽  
Patrick Callahan ◽  
Ping Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Mapping Method ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Evidence Mapping ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background: Suicide and self-harm (SSH) in young people is a major cause of disability-adjusted life years. Effective interventions are of critical importance to reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with SSH. Aims: To investigate the extent and nature of research on interventions to prevent and treat SSH in young people using evidence mapping. Method: A systematic search for SSH intervention studies was conducted (participant mean age between 6–25 years). The studies were restricted to high-quality evidence in the form of systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and controlled trials. Results: Thirty-eight controlled studies and six systematic reviews met the study inclusion criteria. The majority (n = 32) involved psychological interventions. Few studies (n = 9) involved treating young people with recognized mental disorders or substance abuse (n = 1) which also addressed SSH. Conclusion: The map was restricted to RCTs, CCTs, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, and thus might have neglected important information from other study designs. The effectiveness of interventions within the trials was not evaluated. The evidence base for SSH interventions in young people is not well established, which hampers best-practice efforts in this area. Promising interventions that need further research include school-based prevention programs with a skills training component, individual CBT interventions, interpersonal psychotherapy, and attachment-based family therapy. Gaps in the research exist in evaluations of interventions for SSH in young people with identifiable psychopathology, particularly substance use disorder, and research that classifies participants on the basis of their suicidal intent.

Expanding and Democratizing the Agenda for Preventing Youth Suicide: Youth Participation, Cultural Responsiveness, and Social Transformation

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer White
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Cultural Responsiveness ◽  
Youth Participation ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Suicide Prevention Programs

Suicidal behaviours in young people are among the most challenging issues faced by educators, policy makers, and practitioners. A small number of youth suicide prevention programs have been identified as promising. At the same time, many contemporary approaches to youth suicide prevention take insufficient account of the social or cultural context and privilege the expertise of adults and researchers. In large part, this is a consequence of how scientific knowledge is constructed. By engaging young people as knowledgeable collaborators and by paying attention to broader socio-political and cultural contexts in understanding sources of suffering, a more flexible and enriched approach to youth suicide prevention research and practice is envisioned.

scholarly journals How is Participating in Suicide Prevention Activities Experienced by Those with Lived and Living Experiences of Suicide in Australia? A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (13) ◽  
pp. 4635
Author(s):  
Sarah Wayland ◽  
Kathy McKay ◽  
Myfanwy Maple
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Emotional Labour ◽  
Best Practice Guidelines ◽  
Prevention Activities ◽  
The Impact

People with a lived experience of suicide are commonly included within suicide prevention research. This includes participation in conferences, policy development, research and other activities. Yet little is known about the impact on the person in the long term of regularly sharing one’s experience to different audiences and, in some cases, to a schedule not of your choosing. This qualitative study asked twenty people to share their reflections of being lived experience representatives within suicide prevention. Participants varied in the length of time they had been sharing their stories, and how they shared with different audiences. These narratives were thematically analysed within a reflective framework, including field notes. Four broad themes were noted that highlighted participants’ recommendations as to how the lived experience speaker training could grow alongside suicide prevention activities to facilitate safe activities that include a shared understanding of the expected outcome from participation. The environment for people with lived experience of suicide to tell their stories already exists, meaning that the suicide prevention sector needs to move quickly to ensure people understand the variety of spaces where lived experience needs to be incorporated, evaluated and better supported. When lived experience is a valued inclusion in the creation of effective and appropriate suicide prevention research and interventions, those who share their experience must be valued and supported in a way that reflects this. This study recommends strategies to practically and emotionally support speakers, including ways to ensure debriefing and support, which can enhance the longevity of the speakers in the suicide prevention space by valuing the practical and emotional labour required to be suicide prevention representatives, with an outcome recommendation for best practice guidelines for those who engage people with lived experience in suicide prevention activities.

Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Knowledge, Comfort, and Competence Regarding Youth Suicide

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne V. Kirby ◽  
Alexandra L. Terrill ◽  
Ariel Schwartz ◽  
Jarrett Henderson ◽  
Brandi N. Whitaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Young People ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Clinical Scenarios ◽  
And Training

Suicide rates for young people are climbing in the United States and worldwide. Increasing rates of youth suicide are of concern to occupational therapy (OT) practitioners in pediatric settings, yet the profession’s role in this area is poorly defined. To understand OT practitioners’ awareness and needs related to youth suicide, we administered a survey including objective (e.g., knowledge of suicide-related facts) and subjective items (open- and close-ended questions) related to youth suicide to 134 OT practitioners working in pediatric settings. Only 5.2% of respondents correctly answered four items about youth suicide facts and only 32% reported they had received suicide-focused education. Just under half (45%) of respondents were able to identify all best practice responses to clinical scenarios related to youth suicide; older practitioner age was the only significant predictor of best practices. OT practitioners in pediatric settings would benefit from youth-focused suicide education and training.

scholarly journals Evidence-based practice for young people who self harm: can it be sustained and does it improve outcomes?

2002 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart L Einfeld ◽  
John Beard ◽  
Margaret Tobin ◽  
Richard Buss ◽  
Michael Dudley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Attitudinal Changes

In 1998-1999, two Area Health Services in NSW conducted a project to implement evidence-based service enhancements for the clinical management of young people who present with Deliberate Self Harm (DSH) behaviour. The present study examined what structures and procedures were required to implement and sustain evidence-based practice in different health care settings for patients with DSH behaviour. Service provision was assessed at three points during the initial project to assess the degree of change that occurred, and 9 months after the completion of the project to allow an assessment of sustainability of the service provision. We examined staff perceptions of the importance of education, management directives, policy and procedure changes, and cultural/ attitudinal changes, in implementing clinical best practice. Results indicated that support from both service management and clinical staff is necessary for successful implementation of service enhancements. High levels of staff education and policy development were also associated with high levels of service performance. The best sustained enhancements were those that were developed by the services themselves.

Young People's Reasons for Feeling Suicidal

Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 400-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aamina Ali ◽  
Kerry Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young People ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Social Media Platform ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
The Social ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
The Moment

Abstract. Background: While considerable attention has been given to explanations for youth suicide, less is known about the reasons that young people themselves give for suicidality. Research on online communications gives an opportunity to investigate the real-time reasons young people give for feeling suicidal. Aims: This study aimed to identify the reasons that young people provide for feeling suicidal in posts published on a suicide prevention forum, hosted on the social media platform Tumblr. Method: We filtered 2 months' worth of posts to identify those that related specifically to suicide. In total, 210 posts were thematically analyzed to identify the reasons given for suicidality and the meanings associated with these. Results: Six main reasons for suicidality were identified in the analysis: feeling lonely and socially disconnected, experiencing identity stigma, failing to meet expectations, being helpless, feeling worthless, and experiences of mental ill-health. Limitations: There are advantages as well as limitations associated with relying on Internet-based data. Limitations include the inability to establish participant demographics and the lack of context for posts. Conclusion: Suicide prevention efforts should target the reasons that young people give for feeling suicidal in the moment of crisis in order to engage this population more effectively.

scholarly journals Experiences of psychiatrists assessing under 18s on an “all age” rota. An evaluation of the current service

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S315-S315
Author(s):  
Nicoleta Clarisa Turtoi ◽  
Martin Ansell ◽  
Trinisha Govender ◽  
Helen Bould
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Discharge Planning ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Adolescent Psychiatrist ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Referral Criteria ◽  
Spectrum Condition ◽  
Key Staff

AimsGloucestershire Health Care Trust operates an “all age” out of hours on-call rota, staffed by Registrars and Consultants who cross-cover all psychiatric sub-specialities. Our aim was to understand the challenges faced by psychiatrists of different professional backgrounds when assessing under 18 year olds in a health-based Place of Safety (POS).MethodWe circulated a survey to all psychiatrists on the on-call rota, to gather quantitative and qualitative information on the challenges posed by assessments of under-18s in a POS and assess whether an under-18 specific policy was needed.ResultOut of the 50 psychiatrists invited, 27 completed this survey (during February 2021). 33.3% of respondents reported that they had completed a POS assessment of an under 18-year-old when a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist/Registrar was not available to join. 33.3% of respondents had been asked to complete such an assessment as the sole psychiatrist joining the AMHP, with 24% of those respondents reporting feeling uncomfortable doing these assessments without a second doctor present, and an additional 24% feeling comfortable only sometimes. 48.1% of the doctors surveyed did not invite parents or carers to take part in the assessment, despite this being considered best practice, citing reasons such as: being unaware that this was a possibility, assessments conducted at unsociable hours, safeguarding concerns involving the parents, and social distancing in the context of COVID-19. 41% of respondents had assessed vulnerable young people (children looked after or with a diagnosis of an autism spectrum condition) in the POS and reported that these assessments posed significant challenges to safe discharge planning and identifying appropriate placements. 81.5% felt that a tailored policy for young people was needed. Qualitative findings suggest psychiatrists think such a policy should include clear procedures (flowcharts), potential outcome scenarios/options for safe discharge, referral criteria for CAMHS, contact details for key staff members, a handover protocol. Respondents felt a shared policy with all stakeholders (AMHP service, Mental Health Services, police) was required.ConclusionOur survey highlights the challenges for non-CAMHS specialists assessing under 18s in a health-based POS and the need for an under-18 policy to support safe practice. Major themes will be further explored in a focus group to guide policy development.

Research Priorities in Suicide Prevention in Australia

Crisis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 180-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Robinson ◽  
Jane Pirkis ◽  
Karolina Krysinska ◽  
Sara Niner ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Equal Weight ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Journal Articles

This project sought to inform priority setting in Australian suicide prevention research, by empirically examining existing priorities and by seeking stakeholders’ views on where future priorities might lie. Existing priorities were examined via reviews of Australian literature published and grants funded during the life of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (1999–2006). Stakeholders’ views of future priorities were elicited via a questionnaire administered to 11 groups comprising 231 individuals with an interest in suicide prevention. The study identified 263 journal articles and 36 grants. The journal articles most commonly reported on studies of descriptive epidemiology, while the grants tended to fund intervention studies. Both gave roughly equal weight to completed and attempted suicide, and gave little emphasis to studies of suicide methods. Young people were the most frequently-researched target group, with people with mental health problems and people who had attempted suicide or deliberately self-harmed also receiving attention. Stakeholders indicated that emphasis should be given to intervention studies, and that completed suicide and attempted suicide are both important. In terms of suicide method, they felt the focus should be on poisoning by drugs and hanging. They had mixed views about the target groups that should be afforded priority, although young people and people with mental health problems were frequently ranked highly. This paper presents a picture of the current focus with regard to suicide prevention research, identifying some areas where there are clear gaps and others where relatively greater efforts have been made. By combining this information with stakeholders’ views of where future priorities should lie, the paper provides some guidance as to the shape a future suicide prevention research agenda for Australia should take. A strategic approach to suicide prevention research will help fill internationally-identified gaps in knowledge about what works and what doesn’t work in suicide prevention.

scholarly journals Youth Suicide Research: Some Current Challenges and Opportunities

Suicidologi ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Robinson ◽  
Zoe Teh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Young People ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Prevention Activities ◽  
Suicide Interventions

Rates of youth suicide are increasing. Frameworks for suicide prevention activities exist and span universal,selective and indicated interventions, but how do they apply to young people? In order to answer this question,we conducted i) a systematic review and meta-analysis of almost 100 studies that examined the full spectrum ofyouth suicide interventions, and ii) a consultation with young people from across Australia. These activities ledto a program of work that was specifically developed by and for young people and that has young people as activepartners in the research. In this paper we describe some of the gaps in current youth suicide prevention researchefforts and discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that including young people as active partnersin suicide research presents.

Intervention Studies in Suicide Prevention Research

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 281-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annemiek Huisman ◽  
Jane Pirkis ◽  
Jo Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
International Association ◽  
Intervention Research ◽  
Prevention Research ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Global Problem ◽  
The World

Background: Despite the growing strength of the field of suicidology, various commentators have recently noted that insufficient effort is being put into intervention research, and that this is limiting our knowledge of which suicide prevention strategies might be the most effective. Aims: To profile the types of studies currently being undertaken by suicide prevention researchers from around the world, in order to examine the relative balance between intervention studies and other types of research. Methods: We searched the abstract books from the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Congresses of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the 10th, 11th, and 12th European Symposia on Suicide and Suicidal Behavior (held between 2003 and 2008), and classified the abstracts in them according to a modified version of an existing taxonomy. Results: We screened 1209 abstracts and found that only 12% described intervention studies. Conclusions: We need to redouble our efforts and make intervention studies our priority if we are to combat the global problem of suicide.

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