An Individual-level Study Of Suicide Method Substitution Over Time
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$218,122.00
Summary
This study will explore patterns of suicide methods _ e.g., whether people who attempt suicide by hanging make subsequent attempts in the following month, and, if so, whether they use the same or different methods. It will track anonymised patients who have been hospitalised for a suicide attempt in 3 Australian states to determine the extent, method and outcome of any subsequent attempts. The study will inform questions about ïbest betsÍ in terms of restricting access to means of suicide.
Building The Evidence Base For Suicide Prevention: The Victorian Suicide Register
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$189,238.00
Summary
This partnership between the Coroners Court of Victoria, the Lifeline Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the University of Melbourne and Monash University will develop and evaluate a suicide register. The register will contain detailed information on those who die and the circumstances surrounding their deaths. This information is not systematically collected elsewhere, and will help prevent future suicides by informing coroners’ recommendations and strengthening the broader evidence base.
Addressing suicides in public places that have become known as ‘suicide hotspots’ is critical. We will examine which interventions work at hotspots, how and why they work, whether particular features are key to their success, whether they work best in combination with other interventions, whether they have unintended consequences, and whether they are cost-effective. Our research will culminate in a resource that provide practical guidance about how best to deal with suicide hotspots.
Pragmatic Trial Of A Targeted Digital Intervention For Youth With Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviours Attending Outpatient Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,443,572.00
Summary
Existing programs aiming to reduce suicide ideation in youth often fail to impart lasting benefits in helping young people stay well. Our team have developed an online social media-based intervention (called Affinity) that addresses limitations of past programs by allowing 24/7 access to digital therapy, alongside therapist and peer support. This trial will aim to uncover whether Affinity is effective in reducing suicide ideation in young people, relative to a control program.
This fellowship aims to reduce youth suicide via an integrated research program delivered across North West Melbourne. It’s objectives are to: 1) Improve the care provided to young people who present to emergency departments with self-harm 2) Increase capacity of young people and school staff to recognise and respond to risk; and 3) Reduce suicidal behaviour among those at risk through delivering novel online interventions in specialist clinical settings.
The Development Of An Effective Response For The Management Of Suicidality In Primary Care For Patients With Depressive Symptoms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$98,238.00
Summary
This study aims to improve the identification of and response to suicidality in primary care for people with depressive symptoms. It will utilise diamond collected as part of the diamond study, a mixed methods cohort study on depression in primary care. It will be the first study in suicidality research to investigate the natural history trajectories of suicidal ideation and health service use over time in a primary care cohort with depressive symptoms.
Developing Social Media Based Approaches To Youth Suicide Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$319,831.00
Summary
This project aims to capitalise on the popularity and accessibility of social media by developing a suite of suicide prevention tools that can be delivered via these types of platform. Examples of interventions include mood tracking and safety-planning tools delivered as mobile phone apps, and personal stories (vox pops) delivered via platforms such as Facebook and/or YouTube. The project will engage young people in every stage of intervention planning, development and evaluation.
Catch Them When They Fall: Providing Best Evidence Care After A Suicide Attempt
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$181,065.00
Summary
A previous suicide attempt is the strongest predictor of death by suicide. There is a strong evidence base for the key changes required to care after a suicide attempt: implementing evidence-based care is estimated to reduce suicide attempts at the population level by approximately 12%. Yet this is an area of health services that has been difficult to reform. This project is aimed at implementing best-evidence practice in four regions of NSW, where I have established partnerships.
Improving The Evidence Base For Suicide Prevention Initiatives
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$772,209.00
Summary
The burden of suicide persists partly because we don’t know what works and what doesn’t work in suicide prevention. Relatively little research effort has been invested in studies that can tell us how best to direct resources. The problem is compounded by a disconnect between researchers and decision-makers. Through this Fellowship, Jane Pirkis will develop and implement a model for working with decision-makers to generate the best possible evidence upon which to base suicide prevention policy.