Reduce Suicide Rates Research Articles

Trends in suicide rates in Brazil from 1997 to 2015.

Objectives:To analyze time trends of suicide rates in Brazil overall and in Brazilian states and compare the estimated suicide rates projected for 2020 with the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Action Plan target.Methods:This was an ecological time-series study from 1997 to 2015, stratified by Brazilian states, specific age groups, and sex. Data were obtained from the Mortality Information System (Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade [SIM]) of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Polynomial regression models were used to analyze the trends in suicide rates and to project suicide rates for 2020.Results:Considering 224 units of analysis, 21 (9.4%) showed a decreasing trend, 108 (48.2%) were stable, and 95 (42.4%) showed an increasing trend. Thus, 67% of units of analysis will not meet the WHO target in 2020. Mean suicide rates were higher in males than in females. People aged 60 years and older presented the highest suicide rates, while 84.7% of total deaths by suicide occurred among 15-to-59-year-olds.Conclusion:Overall, 90.6% of units of analysis had a stable or increasing trend in suicide rates from 1997 to 2015. If these trends remain, most of Brazil will fail to achieve the WHO-recommended reduction in suicide rates by 2020.

Contextual Factors Associated With County-Level Suicide Rates in the United States, 1999 to 2016

Understanding geographic and community-level factors associated with suicide can inform targeted suicide prevention efforts. To estimate suicide rates and trajectories, assess associated county-level contextual factors, and explore variation across the rural-urban continuum. This cross-sectional study included all individuals aged 25 to 64 years who died by suicide from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2016, in the United States. Spatial analysis was used to map excess risk of suicide, and longitudinal random-effects models using negative binomial regression tested associations of contextual variables with suicide rates as well as interactions among county-level contextual variables. Data analyses were conducted between January 2019 and July 2019. County of residence. Three-year county suicide rates during an 18-year period stratified by rural-urban location. Between 1999 and 2016, 453 577 individuals aged 25 to 64 years died by suicide in the United States. Decedents were primarily male (349 082 [77.0%]) with 101 312 (22.3%) aged 25 to 34 years, 120 157 (26.5%) aged 35 to 44 years, 136 377 (30.1%) aged 45 to 54 years, and 95 771 (21.1%) aged 55 to 64 years. Suicide rates were higher and increased more rapidly in rural than in large metropolitan counties. The highest deprivation quartile was associated with higher suicide rates compared with the lowest deprivation quartile, especially in rural areas, although this association declined during the period studied (rural, 1999-2001: incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.438; 95% CI, 1.319-1.568; P < .001; large metropolitan, 1999-2001: 1.208; 95% CI, 1.149-1.270; P < .001; rural, 2014-2016: IRR, 1.121; 95% CI, 1.032-1.219; P = .01; large metropolitan, 2014-2016: IRR, 0.942; 95% CI, 0.887-1.001; P = .06). The presence of more gun shops was associated with an increase in county-level suicide rates in all county types except the most rural (rural: IRR, 1.001; 95% CI, 0.999-1.004; P = .40; micropolitan: IRR, 1.005; 95% CI, 1.002-1.007; P < .001; small metropolitan: IRR, 1.010; 95% CI, 1.006-1.014; P < .001; large metropolitan: IRR, 1.012; 95% CI, 1.006-1.018; P < .001). High social capital was associated with lower suicide rates than low social capital (IRR, 0.917; 95% CI, 0.891-0.943; P < .001). High social fragmentation, an increasing percentage of the population without health insurance, and an increasing percentage of veterans in a county were associated with higher suicide rates (high social fragmentation: IRR, 1.077; 95% CI, 1.050-1.103; P < .001; percentage of population without health insurance: IRR, 1.005; 95% CI, 1.004-1.006; P < .001; percentage of veterans: IRR, 1.025; 95% CI, 1.021-1.028; P < .001). This study found that suicide rates have increased across the nation and most rapidly in rural counties, which may be more sensitive to the impact of social deprivation than more metropolitan counties. Improving social connectedness, civic opportunities, and health insurance coverage as well as limiting access to lethal means have the potential to reduce suicide rates across the rural-urban continuum.

Dependence of suicide frequency rate on the use of non-office hours

Suicide is a social phenomenon, which depends on the living conditions of the population. The existing and changing socioeconomic conditions influence people’s daily routine. This fact enables us to consider daily life as a suicide factor. The main method to study everyday life is the time budget. It is quite accurate indicator of people’s lifestyle and changes in their behavior at work (office hours), welfare and recreation (non-office hours).The previous analyses have shown that the time spent taking care of the family members, volunteering and being involved in recreational and cultural activities are considered the factors significantly reducing suicide rate. However, the stability of correlation between the suicide frequency rate and the time spent on welfare and recreation remains unclear. The same concerns the significance of every single correlation coefficient.The work aims to determine the stable nucleus of hierarchy for off-work daily activities, which influence the suicide frequency rate, as well as the close and far peripheries of the hierarchy nucleus. The methodology of the research is based on the correlation analysis of the panel data and the national approaches to identifying the nucleus of certain processes as a set of sustainable properties emerging in different interactions.As a result of small sampling in correlation analysis of suicide frequency rate and the use of time we applied non-parametric methods. The sources of data include the World Health Organization and EUROSTAT. The latter provides consistent, comparable and detailed data on average time consumed by one surveyed, by one participant and the degree of employee’s involvement in the framework of Harmonized European Time Use Surveys (HETUS). The first wave of HETUS 2000 was implemented by 15 European countries in the period from 1998 to 2006. The second wave of HETUS 2000 was implemented by 18 European countries in the period from 2008 to 2015.The meaningful analysis of coefficient matrices of Spearman and Kendall and scattering diagram made it possible to identify the activity hierarchy connected with suicide frequency rate for all the employed population (males and females). The research revealed that the core of the hierarchy for the employed people in general and males in particular is watching TV and video, which is positively interconnected with suicide frequency rate. This activity accounts for most of the time. The nucleus is relatively stable due to high level of engagement (over 80%). The core of the hierarchy for the employed women is housekeeping excluding cleaning activities in the house, which is positively connected with suicide frequency rate, and common (cooperative) activities negatively connected with suicide frequency rate. The nucleus is relatively stable due to high level of engagement (over 55%).The obtained interconnections and their directions are validated by other research outcomes. Meanwhile, they are more reliable, stable and detailed. The nucleus of activity hierarchy for the employed women has dual controversial nature and represents the factors reducing and increasing the risk of suicide. Close and far peripheries of the nucleus for the employed people and employed males contain factors reducing suicide risk, which opens up the potential by forcing watching TV and video at least to the close periphery. At the same time the potential hazard is found at the edge of close and far peripheries of the hierarchy nucleus represented by suicide risk factors only. For the employed women the threat is more obvious, since the close and the far peripheries of the nucleus are represented by suicide risk factors.

Pathways to prevention.

Some straightforward approaches show promise. One question is how they can reach more people.

Emerging trends in suicide prevention research.

The purpose of this article is to present notable findings and developments in suicide prevention research and in particular, strategies to detect persons at risk for suicide as well as strategies to reduce suicide risk among the general population and specific risk groups. Popular strategies to detect persons at risk for suicide include scanning social media posts, prediction models using electronic health record data as well as the use of experienced sampling methodology to enhance our understanding of the suicidal process. Emerging approaches to reduce suicide risk include the development of media reporting recommendations, mass media campaigns to improve knowledge, attitudes and behaviour as well as technology-enhanced interventions. Recently, promising approaches to detect individuals at risk for suicide as well as effective strategies to reduce suicide risk emerged. Whether these new opportunities will translate into an effective reduction in suicide rates remains to be demonstrated.

Training General Practitioners in Bulgaria to Reduce Suicide Rate

Training General Practitioners in Bulgaria to Reduce Suicide Rate

Are national suicide prevention programs effective? A comparison of 4 verum and 4 control countries over 30\u2009years

BackgroundSuicide and non-fatal suicidal behavior are significant public health issues worldwide requiring effective preventive interventions.MethodsThe aim of the present study was to analyze the effectiveness of national suicide prevention programs taking a statistical approach involving the segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data.ResultsThis study demonstrates that National Suicide Prevention Programs are effective, but this effect seems to correlate with age and sex. Our data have shown a statistical significant decline in suicide rates in the verum countries in males, with the strongest effects in groups aged 25-to-44 years and 45-to-64 years.ConclusionOur study implies that the implementation of a national strategy is an effective tool to reduce suicide rates.

Developing a Hypothetical Model for Suicide Progression in Older Adults With Universal, Selective, and Indicated Prevention Strategies.

Suicide prevention is an increasingly important issue, especially among older people. Recent work on improving its effectiveness has focused on developing a framework aligning interventions with key risk factors and stages of the suicide process. We have developed this further, by integrating psycho-behavioral components associated with suicide, existing guidelines for identifying critical points of intervention, and the previous preventive strategies framework. Our schematic diagram shows the relationship between the suicide process and prevention strategies, combined with initiatives for linking different types of strategies, from universal strategies at population level, through selective strategies focusing on groups at risk, to indicated strategies, aimed at specific high-risk individuals. We tested our framework using previous studies assessing the impact of suicide prevention interventions on suicide rates in older adults. It was possible to place all identified interventions within the framework. Examining effectiveness within the framework suggests that some interventions may be more successful in reducing suicide rates because they developed systematic linkages between universal, selective, and indicated prevention interventions. Other studies, however, show that interventions can be successful without these linkages, so other factors may also be important. The main weakness of our framework is a lack of evidence about critical intervention points within the suicide process, which may limit its practical application. However, the framework may help to improve the linkages between types of interventions, and support practitioners in developing a wide range of strategies across different areas and stages of the suicide process.

Suicide Crisis Syndrome: A review of supporting evidence for a new suicide-specific diagnosis.

Suicide is a major public health problem, and suicide rates are still on the rise. Current strategies for identifying individuals at risk for suicide, such as the use of a patient's self-reported suicidal ideation or evidence of past suicide attempts, have not been sufficient in reducing suicide rates. Recently, research groups have been focused on determining the acute mental state preceding a suicide attempt. The development of an acute suicidal diagnosis, the Suicide Crisis Syndrome (SCS), is aimed at capturing this state to better treat individuals. The SCS has five main evidence-based components-entrapment, affective disturbance, loss of cognitive control, hyperarousal, and social withdrawal. The SCS may provide clinicians with the ability to identify individuals who are experiencing an acute pre-suicidal mental state, regardless of their self-reported suicidal ideation. Future research leading to the incorporation of this diagnosis into clinical practice could improve the quality of care and reduce the personal, societal, and legal burden of suicide.

Evidence-Based Suicide Prevention: Collective Impact of Engagement with Community Stakeholders

ABSTRACTPurpose: In response to the rising suicide trend in Hong Kong, the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (“CSRP”) was established in 2002, with the aim to capitalize on the collective impact of research-support practices to prevent suicides.Method: The CSRP has since become an international knowledge hub that applies a public health approach and innovative strategies to address suicide-related problems at multiple levels.Results: The CSRP actively engages in research, teaching, and knowledge exchange with community stakeholders. These effort are associated with Hong Kong’s more than 30% reduction in suicide rates between 2003 and 2016.Discussion: The rationale for and examples of the CSRP’s practices in face of the suicide prevention challenges lay ahead were also discussed.Conclusion: The outcomes of these practices, which hold great potential for suicide prevention worldwide, have contributed to important academic debates in the field of suicidology.

Demographics of Suicide Victims in Maine for 2017 and 2018 with Emphasis on Suicide Notes

This study examined Maine suicide deaths from 2017 and 2018 to determine if there were correlations between the demographics of suicide victims and variables of the suicide acts: age, gender, veteran status, method, and presence of a note. Results indicate that 30 percent of suicide victims in Maine a left note. Initial findings from this study revealed interesting correlations between the act of leaving a suicide note and suicide methods that require advanced planning, e.g., carbon monoxide poisoning. A lower percentage of notes were associated with spur-of-the-moment type suicides. Based on these preliminary findings, we suggest modifying targeted interventions to mitigate and reduce suicide rates in Maine including programs to support overlooked vulnerable populations. Due to Maine’s high rate of suicide by firearms, we also suggest that new policies and laws be implemented to limit access to and possession of firearms for individuals identified as at risk of suicide.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL MECHANISM OF PREVENTING THE SUICIDE IN UKRAINE

The article focuses on the study of suicide worldwide and Ukraine in particular. The phenomenon of suicide is relevant in all corners of the world, it affects people of all nations, cultures, religions, articles, and classes. The scientific community in many countries around the world demonstrates indifference to the problem of suicide; Accordingly, suicide is gradually becoming one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Thus, suicide ranks 15th among the leading causes of death. WHO statistics show that suicide is committed twice as often as murder, and emphasizes that this phenomenon is global and reaches critical levels every year. We have analyzed the regulatory framework for suicide at the global level. For example, over the last decades, since 2000, due to the incredible efforts of WHO, this problem has begun to receive national attention. In the developed world, many regulations on suicide prevention have been developed and adopted. In the course of scientific research, we found out that suicide and Ukraine is the seventh cause of death, which confirms the criticality of the problem and the need for its fastest solution. We believe that there is a need today to support such categories of persons as children and young people, servicemen, convicts, and the elderly. The article examines the experience of such foreign countries as the USA, Azerbaijan, Israel, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, and other European countries of the world. Finding out what prevention and prevention measures they have implemented in national suicide prevention programs, we see the possibility of their implementation in Ukraine and are convinced of their effectiveness. According to the results of scientific research, we will develop an administrative and legal mechanism for suicide prevention in Ukraine, which can work if all the steps of the algorithm for reducing suicide rates are fulfilled. Keywords: suicide, administrative and legal mechanism, the algorithm of actions, statistics, suicide rate.

Assessing the risk factors of suicide among adolescents and evaluating the knowledge on suicide prevention at Goalpara, Assam

Background of the Study: A study was conducted to assess the risk factors of suicide among adolescents and evaluate the knowledge on suicide prevention in selected colleges of Goalpara district, Assam. Aims: Aims of the study were to reduce suicide rate among adolescents by creating awareness, provide knowledge on risk factors of suicide and suicide prevention. Objectives: 1.To assess the risk factors of suicide among adolescents in control and experimental group before intervention. 2.To assess the knowledge on suicide prevention among adolescents in control and experimental group before and after intervention. 3.To evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on increasing knowledge suicide prevention among adolescents of experimental group. Materials and Methods: It was a quantitative approach, quasi experimental study with pre test-post test and control group design. Purposive non random sampling technique was used to select the sample. The study was conducted in two colleges with 80 students, 40 in each control and experimental group. Adolescents selected for the study were the students between the age group of 16-19 years and were studying higher secondary standard. Self administered structured questionnaire was used which consist of three part related to socio-demographic data, risk factors of suicide and knowledge on suicide prevention. Structured teaching programme was conducted to the experimental group which included knowledge on suicide prevention. Results: There was significant difference ('t'=14.607, p=0.000) between control and experimental group in the post test of knowledge on suicide prevention. The overall post test knowledge score on suicide prevention showed that majority of the respondents acquired good knowledge in experimental group. The results indicated that adolescents suicide can be prevented by increasing knowledge, awareness and developing positive attitude.

Prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation among college students: A mental health survey in Jilin Province, China

The prevention of suicidal ideation plays a key role in reducing suicide rates. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation among college students in Jilin Province, China, and to analyse the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation. A total of 6284 valid data collection sheets were collected using the stratified cluster sampling method. The data collected were divided into four sections, namely, socio-demographic information, family and social interactions, daily habits, and mental health self-rating scales. The prevalence of suicidal ideation in the past 12 months was 9.2%. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that being a senior (OR = 1.769, 95%CI:1.225-2.555), general family relationships (OR = 1.641, 95%CI:1.172-2.298), frequent parental quarrels (OR = 1.398, 95%CI:1.027-1.902)/parental separation (OR = 2.497, 95%CI:1.414-4.408), the level of satisfaction with motherly love (OR = 2.261, 95%CI:1.454-3.515), having only one or two friend(s) (OR = 1.530, 95%CI:1.038-2.254), frequent excursions to bars/ karaoke halls/ song and dance halls (OR = 1.673, 95%CI:1.257-2.229) or billiard halls with friends (OR = 1.865, 95%CI:1.270-2.740), smoking (OR = 2.175, 95%CI:1.603-2.951), moderate sleep quality (OR = 1.636, 95%CI:1.115-2.402), and depressive symptoms (OR = 2.078, 95%CI: 1.710-2.525) were risk factors for suicidal ideation. Family factors had the most influence on suicidal ideation, whereas depression symptoms were identified to be a mediating factor between family, social interactions, or daily habits and suicidal ideation, and it only exerted direct effects. This cross-sectional study cannot provide causal interpretations. Our findings showed the prevalence of suicidal ideation among college students in Jilin province. Among all the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation, family factors should be the main concern in the prevention of suicidal ideation, and interventions that target depression symptoms are key to reducing suicidal ideation.

Tracking progress in suicide prevention in Indigenous communities: a challenge for public health surveillance in Canada

Indigenous peoples in Canada experience disproportionate rates of suicide compared to non-Indigenous populations. Indigenous communities and organizations have designed local and regional approaches to prevention, and the federal government has developed a national suicide prevention framework. However, public health systems continue to face challenges in monitoring the population burden of suicide and suicidal behaviour. National health data systems lack Indigenous identifiers, do not capture data from some regions, and do not routinely engage Indigenous communities in data governance. These challenges hamper efforts to detect changes in population-level outcomes and assess the impact of suicide prevention activities. Consequently, this limits the ability to achieve public health prevention goals and reduce suicide rates and rate inequities.This paper provides a critical analysis of the challenges related to suicide surveillance in Canada and assesses the strengths and limitations of existing data infrastructure for monitoring outcomes in Indigenous communities. To better understand these challenges, we discuss the policy context for suicide surveillance and examine the survey and administrative data sources that are commonly used in public health surveillance. We then review recent data on the epidemiology of suicide and suicidal behaviour among Indigenous populations, and identify challenges related to national surveillance.To enhance capacity for suicide surveillance, we propose strategies to better track progress in Indigenous suicide prevention. Specifically, we recommend establishing an independent community and scientific governing council, integrating Indigenous identifiers into population health datasets, increasing geographic coverage, improving suicide data quality, comprehensiveness, and timeliness, and developing a platform for making suicide data accessible to all stakeholders. Overall, the strategies we propose can build on the strengths of the existing national suicide surveillance system by adopting a collaborative and inclusive governance model that recognizes the stake Indigenous communities have in suicide prevention.

Identification of risk factors for suicidal ideation in patients with schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia have a high risk for suicide, and therefore, identification of risk factors for suicidal ideation (SI) may be helpful to reduce suicide rate. This study aimed to detect which clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters were most strongly associated with SI. A total of 174 patients and 35 healthy controls were enrolled in our study. Patients were evaluated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Scale of Assessment Negative Symptoms (SANS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) for psychiatric and depressive symptoms, and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) for cognitive function. We examined the levels of prolactin (PRL) and metabolic parameters in all participants. Our results showed a significantly increased level of PRL in patients compared to the controls before (t = 10.414, P < 0.001) and after (F = 31.308, P < 0.001) covariates were controlled for. In addition, we found that patients with SI had significantly higher PRL levels than those without SI (t = 2.586, P = 0.011). And there were positive correlations between serum PRL levels (r = 0.194, P = 0.010), serum fasting triglyceride levels (TG) (r = 0.188, P = 0.013), and RBANS visuospatial skill subscores (r = 0.162, P = 0.036) and SI severity. Finally, the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that SI severity was significantly associated with PRL levels, fasting TG levels and RBANS visuospatial skill subscores. This study provides support that greater cognitive ability, specifically visuospatial skill, PRL and TG, may confer an elevated risk for more severe SI in schizophrenia patients.

Effect of the Brazilian cash transfer programme on suicide rates: a longitudinal analysis of the Brazilian municipalities.

There is a growing awareness of the economic and contextual factors that may play a role in the aetiology of suicide. The Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) the Brazilian conditional cash transfer programme, established in 2004, aims to attenuate the effects of poverty of Brazilians. Our study aims to evaluate the effect of Bolsa Família Programme (BFP) coverage on suicide rates in Brazilian municipalities. We conducted an ecological study using 2004-2012 panel data for 5507 Brazilian municipalities. We calculated age-standardized suicide rates for each municipality and year. BFP coverage was categorized according to three levels (< 30%, ≥ 30% and < 70% and ≥ 70%) and duration (coverage ≤ 70% for all years, ≥ 70% for 1year, ≥ 70% for 2years, ≥ 70% for 3 or more years). We used negative binomial regression models with fixed effects, adjusting for socio-economic, demographic and social welfare co-variables. An increase in BFP coverage was associated with a reduction in suicide rates. The strongest effect was observed when in addition to greater municipal coverage (RR 0.942, 95% CI 0.936-0.947), the duration of the high coverage was maintained for 3 years or more (RR 0.952 95% CI 0.950-0.954). The results provide evidence that the conditional cash transfer programme may reduce suicide in Brazilian municipalities, mitigating the effect of poverty on suicide incidence.

Psychological autopsy review on mental health crises and suicide among youth in Pakistan.

Ascertaining putative sociodemographic and clinical causes for death by probable suicide can potentially help implement region-specific strategies to reduce suicide rates. In this study, we wanted to investigate methods utilized and the psychosocial and mental health characteristics of youths (aged 12-26y) who died by probable suicide. We examined data from mental health clinical files and forensic reports and performed qualitative psychological autopsy interview from more than multiple sources for each youth who died by probable suicide between 1 May and 31 December 2015 in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The two most common methods of probable suicide were by firearm use and self-poisoning utilizing pesticides that were significantly associated with male and female gender, respectively. The most common mental health difficulties were major depressive disorder and harmful use of psychoactive substances. Other clinical features particularly evident included thoughts of self-harm, irritability and aggression, low self-esteem, treatment nonadherence, family dispute, and financial distress. Efforts to reduce the ease of access to firearms and pesticides may potentially have a beneficial effect in reducing the suicide rate in this region of Pakistan.

Scotland targets 20% reduction in suicide rate by 2022

Scotland targets 20% reduction in suicide rate by 2022

Firearm Ownership, Means Safety, and Suicidality

Means safety interventions are effective at reducing suicide rates. This study examined beliefs about firearm ownership or storage and suicide risk, lifetime suicidal thoughts, and openness to means safety. A community sample of 107 American adult firearm owners (51.4% male; 82.2% White; m age=37.46) completed a series of self-report questionnaires via Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that beliefs regarding firearm ownership or storage were associated with openness to means safety measures to prevent a suicide attempt by someone else, but not to prevent one's own suicide attempt. Additionally, results from analyses of covariance indicated that firearm owners with lifetime ideation had stronger beliefs regarding the association between firearm ownership or storage and suicide risk. Findings indicate firearm owners' willingness to engage in means safety may be influenced by the degree to which they believe firearm storage is associated with suicide. Furthermore, firearm owners with prior suicide ideation are more open to the idea that firearm ownership and storage are related to suicide risk. Viewing suicide as salient to one's own life may serve as a focal point in efforts to increase openness to means safety among firearm owners.