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Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 35890

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Victoria Ross

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Guest Editor

Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Interests: suicide prevention; workplace mental health and suicide prevention; suicide bereavement and postvention support; suicide hot spots; suicide prevention program evaluation

Prof. Dr. Kairi Kõlves

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Guest Editor

Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4122, Australia
Interests: suicide research and prevention; suicide trends and cross-cultural differences; the impact of sudden events; different preventative activities such as helplines, postvention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Ella Arensman

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Guest Editor

School of Public Health, University College Cork, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
Interests: suicide and self-harm research and prevention; effectiveness of suicide prevention programmes; suicide and self-harm surveillance; suicide clustering and contagion; depression, anxiety, personality disorders; workplace mental health; self-harm assessment and management

Prof. Dr. Diego De Leo

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Guest Editor

1. Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4222, Australia
2. Department of Psychology and Slovene Centre for Suicide Research, Primorska University, Koper, Slovenia
Interests: suicide nomenclatures and classifications; loneliness; suicide in old age; suicide bereavement; traumatic death notification

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Suicide is a major public health issue that is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Globally, suicide claims the lives of over 800,000 people each year, and for every suicide death, it has been estimated that there are at least another 20 suicide attempts. Due to numerous complex and interrelated risk and protective factors, many questions regarding the prevention of suicide remain unanswered. More research is urgently needed to develop a strong evidence base from which to develop effective intervention strategies. This call for papers aims to bring together a wide range of interdisciplinary research around the world to provide high-quality evidence and further our current understanding of what works in suicide prevention. Manuscripts will be peer-reviewed by experts in the field and are due by May 2021. The Guest Editors of this Special Issue are Victoria Ross, Kairi Kõlves, Ella Arensman and Diego De Leo.

Dr. Victoria Ross
Dr. Kairi Kõlves
Prof. Dr. Ella Arensman
Prof. Dr. Diego De Leo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

suicide prevention
interventions
prevention
suicide risk factors
suicide protective factors

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumer and Carer Perspectives of a Zero Suicide Prevention Program: A Qualitative Study

by Victoria Ross, Sharna Mathieu, Jacinta Hawgood, Kathryn Turner, Nicolas J. C. Stapelberg, Matthew Welch, Angela Davies, Jerneja Sveticic, Sarah Walker and Kairi Kõlves

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10634; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182010634 - 11 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2251

Abstract

This study explored the experiences of healthcare consumers who had recently attempted suicide, and their carers, following placement on a Suicide Prevention Pathway based on the Zero Suicide framework. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 consumers and 5 carers using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was applied to identify prominent themes and sub-themes. Three interrelated themes were identified. The first theme was ‘Feeling safe and valued’ with the associated sub-theme pertaining to perceived stigmatizing treatment and self-stigma. The second was ‘Intersection of consumer and staff/organizational needs’ with a related sub-theme of time pressure and reduced self-disclosure. The final theme was ‘Importance of the ‘whole picture’, highlighting the relevance of assessing and addressing psychosocial factors when planning for consumer recovery. Overall, consumers and their carers reported a favorable experience of the Suicide Prevention Pathway; however, there were several areas identified for improvement. These included reconciling the time-pressures of a busy health service system, ensuring consumers and carers feel their psychosocial concerns are addressed, and ensuring that adequate rapport is developed. Key to this is ensuring consumers feel cared for and reducing perceptions of stigma. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

10 pages, 1083 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measurement Invariance of Perfectionism Measures in Students with and without a History of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

by Kate E. Tonta, Mark Boyes, Joel Howell, Peter McEvoy and Penelope Hasking

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10171; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph181910171 - 28 Sep 2021

Viewed by 1908

Abstract

Perfectionism is a transdiagnostic process which may be implicated in the onset and maintenance of non-suicidal self-injury. No study has evaluated whether reported differences in perfectionism between individuals with and without a history of self-injury represent genuine group differences or measurement artefacts. The present study reports an investigation of the measurement invariance of two common scales of perfectionism, the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Brief (FMPS-Brief) and the Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire (CPQ), among university students (M_age = 20.48, SD_age = 2.22, 75.3% female, 22.8% male) with and without a history of self-injury (total n = 711). Results revealed full residual error invariance for the two-factor model of FMPS-Brief, while the bifactor model of the FMPS-Brief and the two-factor model of the CPQ demonstrated partial metric invariance. Accounting for partial metric invariance, the bifactor model of the FMPS-Brief also demonstrated partial residual error invariance. The current findings suggest that observed differences using the FMPS-Brief reflect genuine differences in perfectionism between individuals with and without a history of self-injury. Further, while researchers using the bi-factor model can have confidence that the general factor can adequately assess group differences, differential item functioning should be considered if using the strivings and concerns factors. Finally, in the current data, the CPQ did not perform as expected in baseline model fit and future research should replicate assessments of measurement invariance in this measure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

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12 pages, 720 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Suicidology Post Graduate Curriculum: Priority Topics and Delivery Mechanisms for Suicide Prevention Education

by Jacinta Hawgood, Karolina Krysinska, Maddeline Mooney, Ingrid Ozols, Karl Andriessen, Carmen Betterridge, Diego De Leo and Kairi Kõlves

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9926; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18189926 - 21 Sep 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3688

Abstract

Background: There has been limited attention to the development and delivery of tertiary suicide prevention curricula. The aim of this work was to describe the status of postgraduate suicide prevention education, with specific attention on examining the needs of the suicide prevention sector in Australia. Method: An online survey was completed by 76 stakeholders in Australia. Current curriculum learning outcomes from Griffith University’s postgraduate suicidology programs guided the development of the survey. Results: Four key learning domains were rated highest in importance by stakeholders. According to most stakeholders, skills-based qualifications were the most relevant type of qualification, and online modulized education was the most preferred delivery mode. Half of stakeholders supported suicide prevention professional development through a combination of financial support and study leave. Conclusions: The survey provided invaluable feedback regarding the priorities of Australia’s suicide prevention sector for content domains and delivery mechanisms for tertiary suicidology education. The findings showed the preferred type of organizational (employer) support that may be provided for employees to undertake such education. These findings will inform the future developments of Griffith University’s suicidology programs and may motivate other universities to consider offering same or a similar type of education to support the suicide prevention sector toward saving lives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

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10 pages, 313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Suicide Attempts and Suicide Deaths by Jumping from a High Place in Korean Children and Adolescents

by Jungeun Song, Sung-Hee Hong, Joonbeom Kim, Seyeun Chang, Ki-Hwan Yook and Hyun Ju Hong

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9513; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18189513 - 09 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3161

Abstract

Jumping from a high place is the most common method of suicide among Korean children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the personal, family, and school life of Korean children and adolescents who chose jumping from a high place, among suicide attempts and suicide deaths, based on teachers’ reports. Data on suicide attempts and suicide deaths by jumping from a high place in children and adolescents were collected through the Ministry of Education in South Korea from 2016 to 2018. We compared sociodemographic variables, suicide-related variables, emotional and behavioral status, school life related variables, and variables related to family problems among suicide deaths (n = 262), actual suicide attempts (n = 50), and interrupted or aborted suicide attempts (n = 210). There were differences in educational stage (p < 0.001), place of suicide (p < 0.001), presence of suicide note (p < 0.05) and previous suicide attempt (p < 0.001) among the three groups. The total difficulty score on the Strength Difficulty Questionnaire of interrupted or aborted suicide attempts was higher than that of the other two groups. Our study suggests that the suicide death group tend to present fewer personal and family pathologies and better school adjustment than the suicide attempt group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

11 pages, 737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Suicide Utility Perception on News over Terminally Ill Patients’ Suicide Attitudes: A Pilot Study

by Diego Garcia-Fernández, Samuel Fernández-Salinero, Gabriele Giorgi, Gabriela Topa and Ana María Marcos Del Cano

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8784; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18168784 - 20 Aug 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1919

Abstract

Suicide represents a very important issue in public health. For approaching attitudes toward suicide, we have developed an instrument that, following previous recommendations, assesses specific thoughts related to the perception of suicide utility in the press. First of all, we will test the psychometric properties of the scale we created ad hoc for assessing suicide utility perception. After that, we expect to find that the suicide utility perception in the press will have a statistically significant impact on positive attitudes toward terminally ill patients’ suicide (Hypothesis 1). In addition, this relationship will be mediated by suicide legitimation (Hypothesis 2). This mediation will be moderated by depressive symptomatology (Hypothesis 3). The sample was composed of 66 Spanish participants. Suicide legitimation was significantly related to the positive evaluation of terminally ill people’s euthanasia. Finally, when the levels of depression’s psychological concomitants increased, the support for terminally ill people’s euthanasia increased as well. Implications and limitations have been discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

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17 pages, 347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strategies to Stay Alive: Adaptive Toolboxes for Living Well with Suicidal Behavior

by Bonnie Scarth, Jesse M. Bering, Ian Marsh, Vilma Santiago-Irizarry and Karl Andriessen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 8013; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18158013 - 29 Jul 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5668

Abstract

Suicidal behavior constitutes a major global problem. Qualitative research utilizing the first-hand experiences of those who have survived attempts to take their own lives can offer much in the way of understanding how to live well despite ongoing suicidal behavior. Given that suicidal intentions and behaviors occur within the person’s subjective construal, the solutions to living—and preferably living well—despite such inclinations must also be subjective and adaptive. The aim of this study was therefore to understand how individuals live with different aspects of their suicidal behavior and their use of effective strategies to protect themselves from future attempts. Thematic analysis of semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 17 participants with lived experience of suicidal behavior from the USA yielded two main themes: (i) the ‘dynamic relationship with suicidal behavior: living with, and through’, and (ii) ‘the toolbox’. Each of these themes had four subthemes. Participants in this study offered important insights into what helped them not just survive ongoing suicidal behavior, but how they created unique toolboxes to continue living, and to live well. These toolboxes contained personalized solutions to dealing with recurring threats to their subjective wellbeing and included diverse solutions from spirituality, pets, peer-support, participating in the arts, through to traditional therapeutic supports. Some participants also discussed the importance of broader social policy and societal changes that help them live. The findings highlight crucial implications for suicide prevention efforts, especially in terms of encouraging collaborations with the lived experience community and furthering a strengths-based approach to mitigating suicidal behaviors. We encourage the clinical community to work in partnership with service-users to enable them to generate effective solutions to living—and living well—through suicidal behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

14 pages, 697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Help-Seeking from a National Youth Helpline in Australia: An Analysis of Kids Helpline Contacts

by David Watling, Samantha Batchelor, Brian Collyer, Sharna Mathieu, Victoria Ross, Susan H. Spence and Kairi Kõlves

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 6024; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18116024 - 03 Jun 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3412

Abstract

Counselling helplines or hotlines are key support services for young people with mental health concerns or in suicide and self-harm crises. We aimed to describe young peoples’ use of a national youth helpline (Kids Helpline, Australia, KHL) to understand how usage changed over time. A descriptive analysis was conducted on 1,415,228 answered contacts between 2012–2018. We described the trend of service usage over the observed period, the types of youth who used the service, and the problems young people contacted the service about. Phone (APC = −9.1, KHL: −10.4 to −7.8, p < 0.001) and email (APC = −13.7, 95%CI: −17.1 to −10.2, p < 0.001) contacts decreased over time whereas webchat contacts increased (APC = 16.7, 95%CI: 11.7 to 22.0, p < 0.001). With this increase in webchat contacts, there was an associated increase in total webchat contact duration. Concerns raised in contacts to the service were primarily related to emotional wellbeing and mental health concerns (53.2% phone, 57.3% webchat, 58.2% email) followed by social relationship issues (20.4% phone, 20.3% webchat, 16.8% email) and family relationships (19.4% phone, 17.2% webchat, 21.8% email). The increased preference for online text-based information and counselling services can help inform development of services for young people and allocation of staff/service training and resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

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12 pages, 331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experiences of Parental Suicide-Bereavement: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis over Two Years

by Lorenza Entilli, Victoria Ross, Diego De Leo, Sabrina Cipolletta and Kairi Kõlves

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 564; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18020564 - 11 Jan 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4775

Abstract

Limited research exists on the experiences of parents bereaved by suicide. Our earlier qualitative analysis examined the experiences of parents’ suicide bereavement at 6 and 12 months after their loss. The current study aimed to extend the analysis over 24 months, outlining the key themes of parents’ suicide bereavement experience. In the frames of a longitudinal study of suicide bereavement in Queensland, Australia, parents were interviewed at 6, 12, and 24 months after their loss. Thematic analysis was used to further explore new themes and three key themes identified in earlier analyses: searching for answers and sense-making, coping strategies and support, and finding meaning and purpose. Results at 24 months revealed a clearer differentiation between strategies adopted by mothers and fathers. Anger and blame had changed towards feelings of depression. A polarization was observed between parents still oscillating in brooding rumination and those who have shifted towards sense-making. The former more frequently reported depression symptoms, and the latter reported a more positive attitude towards life and acceptance of their loss. Consistent with the dual-process model, parents managed to reach acceptance after oscillating between sense-making and meaning making. Findings provide insights how suicide loss affects parents, with implications for postvention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

26 pages, 1109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Alcohol Policies on Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review

by Kairi Kõlves, Kate M. Chitty, Rachmania Wardhani, Airi Värnik, Diego de Leo and Katrina Witt

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(19), 7030; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17197030 - 25 Sep 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3656

Abstract

Alcohol consumption has been found to be related to suicidal behavior at the individual and population level, but there is lack of literature reviews on the effect of alcohol policies on suicidal behavior. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to conduct a systematic literature review of the impact of alcohol policies at the population level on suicidal behavior and ideation. We searched the Cochrane CENTRAL, Cochrane DARE, EMBASE, Medline, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science electronic databases in March 2019. Papers analyzing alcohol policies limiting alcohol use and studying suicidal behaviors as an outcome measure were included; we identified 19 papers. Although the methods and effect sizes varied substantially in the studies, reducing alcohol often led to reduction in suicidal behavior. Ecological-level studies predominantly investigated the effect of restrictions on alcohol availability and increased cost of alcohol, and the majority presented a reduction in suicides across Western and Eastern Europe, as well as the US. The majority of studies were rated as unclear risk of bias for a number of domains due to a lack of clear reporting. Policies targeting harmful alcohol consumption may contribute towards a reduction in suicidal behavior at the population level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

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Review

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15 pages, 1936 KiB

Open AccessReview

Factors Associated with Suicidal Behavior in Farmers: A Systematic Review

by Emelynne Gabrielly de Oliveira Santos, Paulo Roberto Queiroz, Aryelly Dayane da Silva Nunes, Kelly Graziani Giacchero Vedana and Isabelle Ribeiro Barbosa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6522; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18126522 - 17 Jun 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3350

Abstract

This review aimed to investigate the factors associated with suicidal behavior in farmers in the scientific literature. Two researchers participated independently in searching databases, specifically PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and SciELO. Only observational studies were included. The quality of the selected studies was assessed with a critical assessment checklist for cross-sectional analytical and case-control studies, prepared by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data related to the publication were collected (author and year; city/country); methodological design; sample/population (gender; average age), outcome, measuring instrument and factors associated with suicidal behavior. A total of 14 studies were included in the systematic review, and factors associated with farmers’ behavior in mental health (depression), seasonal impacts (drought), and work exposures (herbicides and insecticides) were identified. However, heterogeneity was found in terms of the method, measurement of suicidal behavior, and associated factors, which indicates the need for further studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Suicide Prevention from a Global Perspective)

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