Centre for Youth Mental Health - Research Publications
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ItemThe effectiveness of structural interventions at suicide hotspots: a meta-analysis(OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2013-04)BACKGROUND: Certain sites have gained notoriety as 'hotspots' for suicide by jumping. Structural interventions (e.g. barriers and safety nets) have been installed at some of these sites. Individual studies examining the effectiveness of these interventions have been underpowered. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis, pooling data from nine studies. RESULTS: Following the interventions, there was an 86% reduction in jumping suicides per year at the sites in question (95% CI 79% to 91%). There was a 44% increase in jumping suicides per year at nearby sites (95% CI 15% to 81%), but the net gain was a 28% reduction in all jumping suicides per year in the study cities (95% CI 13% to 40%). CONCLUSIONS: Structural interventions at 'hotspots' avert suicide at these sites. Some increases in suicide are evident at neighbouring sites, but there is an overall gain in terms of a reduction in all suicides by jumping.
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ItemSuicide Clusters in Young People Evidence for the Effectiveness of Postvention Strategies(HOGREFE & HUBER PUBLISHERS, 2012)BACKGROUND: Suicide clusters have commonly been documented in adolescents and young people. AIMS: The current review conducts a literature search in order to identify and evaluate postvention strategies that have been employed in response to suicide clusters in young people. METHODS: Online databases, gray literature, and Google were searched for relevant articles relating to postvention interventions following a suicide cluster in young people. RESULTS: Few studies have formally documented response strategies to a suicide cluster in young people, and at present only one has been longitudinally evaluated. However, a number of strategies show promise, including: developing a community response plan; educational/psychological debriefings; providing both individual and group counseling to affected peers; screening high risk individuals; responsible media reporting of suicide clusters; and promotion of health recovery within the community to prevent further suicides. CONCLUSIONS: There is a gap in formal evidence-based guidelines detailing appropriate postvention response strategies to suicide clusters in young people. The low-frequency nature of suicide clusters means that long-term systematic evaluation of response strategies is problematic. However, some broader suicide prevention strategies could help to inform future suicide cluster postvention responses.
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ItemInterventions to reduce suicides at suicide hotspots: a systematic review(BMC, 2013-03-09)BACKGROUND: 'Suicide hotspots' include tall structures (for example, bridges and cliffs), railway tracks, and isolated locations (for example, rural car parks) which offer direct means for suicide or seclusion that prevents intervention. METHODS: We searched Medline for studies that could inform the following question: 'What interventions are available to reduce suicides at hotspots, and are they effective?' RESULTS: There are four main approaches: (a) restricting access to means (through installation of physical barriers); (b) encouraging help-seeking (by placement of signs and telephones); (c) increasing the likelihood of intervention by a third party (through surveillance and staff training); and (d) encouraging responsible media reporting of suicide (through guidelines for journalists). There is relatively strong evidence that reducing access to means can avert suicides at hotspots without substitution effects. The evidence is weaker for the other approaches, although they show promise. CONCLUSIONS: More well-designed intervention studies are needed to strengthen this evidence base.