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An effective suicide prevention program in the Israeli Defense Forces: A cohort study.
L Shelef1, L Tatsa-Laur2, E Derazne3
1Psychology Branch, Israel Air Force, Ramat Gan, Israel; Mental Health Department, Israel Defense Force Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Summary
The IDF Suicide Prevention Program significantly reduced suicide rates by 57% in soldiers. This military suicide prevention initiative improved help-seeking behaviors and weapon safety, offering a model for other organizations.
Area of Science:
- Military mental health
- Suicide prevention research
- Public health interventions
Background:
- Suicide remains a critical concern within military populations.
- The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) implemented a comprehensive suicide prevention program in 2006.
- Evaluating the program's impact is crucial for military well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of the IDF Suicide Prevention Program.
- To analyze changes in suicide rates and time-to-suicide post-intervention.
- To identify factors associated with reduced suicide risk in soldiers.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental, before-and-after cohort study design was employed.
- Two cohorts of mandatory service soldiers were compared: pre-intervention (1992-2005) and post-intervention (2006-2012).
- The intervention included reduced weapon availability, destigmatized help-seeking, integrated mental health officers, and risk factor training.
Main Results:
- A significant 57% decrease in the suicide rate was observed after program implementation.
- The hazard ratio for time to suicide was 0.44 (95% CI=0.34-0.56) for males.
- Lower suicide risk was associated with male gender, Israeli birth, higher socioeconomic status, higher intelligence scores, and combat unit service.
Conclusions:
- The IDF Suicide Prevention Program demonstrated substantial effectiveness in reducing soldier suicides.
- Intervention success is linked to weapon availability reduction and improved help-seeking behaviors.
- Findings suggest the program can inform suicide prevention strategies in other military and civilian sectors.