What Works in Community-Led Suicide Prevention: Perspectives of Wesley LifeForce Network Coordinators.

Lennart Reifels,Lay San Too,Amy Morgan,Helen Jordan,Michelle Williamson,Marisa Schlichthorst

doi:10.3390/ijerph18116084

Lennart Reifels, Lay San Too + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116084

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Abstract

Community coalitions have been recognised as an important vehicle to advance health promotion and address relevant local health issues in communities, yet little is known about their effectiveness in the field of suicide prevention. The Wesley Lifeforce Suicide Prevention Networks program consists of a national cohort of local community-led suicide prevention networks. This study drew on a nationally representative survey and the perspectives of coordinators of these networks to identify the key factors underpinning positive perceived network member and community outcomes. Survey data were analysed through descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses. Networks typically reported better outcomes for network members and communities if they had been in existence for longer, had a focus on the general community, and had conducted more network meetings and internal processes, as well as specific community-focused activities. Study findings strengthen the evidence base for effective network operations and lend further support to the merit of community coalitions in the field of suicide prevention, with implications for similar initiatives, policymakers, and wider sector stakeholders seeking to address suicide prevention issues at a local community level.

Highlights

IntroductionSuicide is a major public and mental health concern in communities around the world [1,2], claiming the lives of 3318 Australians in 2019 [3]
Community-based suicide prevention approaches have been recognised as an important component of national suicide prevention strategies [7], yet little is known about their effectiveness [8,9]
The diversity of local community contexts and varying nature of suicidality issues presenting among affected groups highlight the importance of a locally tailored and well-coordinated approach to suicide prevention that works from the ground up to optimally address community needs [8]

Summary

Introduction

Suicide is a major public and mental health concern in communities around the world [1,2], claiming the lives of 3318 Australians in 2019 [3]. The diversity of local community contexts and varying nature of suicidality issues presenting among affected groups highlight the importance of a locally tailored and well-coordinated approach to suicide prevention that works from the ground up to optimally address community needs [8]. Community coalitions can provide a central mechanism to mobilise and coordinate relevant local stakeholder efforts and establish a whole-of-community approach to address local health issues [10,11], which has gained increasing attention in the field of suicide prevention [12]

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