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General - Suicide Prevention


The effectiveness of crisis line services: a systematic review.
Hoffberg AS, Sterns-Yoder KA, Brenner LA
Front Public Health. 2020 Jan 17;7:399.

Rationale for Inclusion: Systematic review of evidence on crisis hotlines for suicide prevention. 33 studies included. No conclusive evidence of effectiveness was identified.

CAVEAT: High risk of bias in included studies.

Citations  - To review the number of citations for this landmark paper, visit Google Scholar.

Comparison of the safety planning intervention with follow-up vs usual care of suicidal patients treated in the emergency department
Stanley B, Brown GK, Brenner LA, Galfalvy HC, Currier GW, Knox KL, Chaudhury SR, Bush AL, Green KL
JAMA Psychiatry. 2018 Sep 1;75(9):894-900.

Rationale for Inclusion: Cohort comparison design study of safety planning intervention showed a 45% decrease in suicidal behavior and doubled attendance at mental health follow-up.

CAVEAT: Non-randomized

Citations  - To review the number of citations for this landmark paper, visit Google Scholar.

Counseling on access to lethal means (CALM): an evaluation of a suicide prevention means restriction training program for mental health providers
Sale E, Hendricks M, Weil V, Miller C, Perkins S, McCudden S.
Community Ment Health J. 2018 Apr;54(3):293-301.

Rationale for Inclusion: Prospective evaluation of CALM training for mental health providers to counsel patients on lethal means restriction during times of crisis. Well received by mental health professionals.

CAVEAT: Did not assess suicide as an outcome.

Citations  - To review the number of citations for this landmark paper, visit Google Scholar.

Suicide prevention in an emergency department population: The ED-SAFE Study.
Miller IW, Camargo CA, Arias SA, Sullivan AF, Allen MH, Goldstein AB, Manton AP, Espinola JA, Jones R, Asegawa K, Boudreaux ED, ED-SAFE Investigators
JAMA Psychiatry. 2017 Jun 1;74(6):563-570.

Rationale for Inclusion: Trial of ED-based screening and intervention including discharge resources and post-ED phone calls decreased suicide attempts by 30%.

CAVEAT: Non-randomized, pre-post design

Citations  - To review the number of citations for this landmark paper, visit Google Scholar.

An evaluation of crisis hotline outcomes. Part 2: Suicidal callers.
Gould MS, Kalafat J, Harrismunfakh JL, Kleinman M.
Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2007 Jun;37(3):338-52.

Rationale for inclusion:  Used a standardized assessment to show effectiveness of suicide hotline in over 1000 patients. 

CAVEAT: Excluded callers "too high risk"

Citations  - To review the number of citations for this landmark paper, visit Google Scholar.

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