Brief interventions for suicidal ideation in primary care: a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Mental Health Research
• Suicidology

Background:

• General practitioners (GPs) are frontline contacts for individuals with mental health concerns.
• Time constraints in primary care necessitate brief, implementable interventions for suicidal ideation.
• Effective management of suicidality in primary care is critical for suicide prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate brief interventions for managing suicidality in primary care.
• To compare the effectiveness of identified interventions.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of findings for primary care suicide prevention.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies from 2000-2023.
• Searches conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, PSYNDEX, PsychINFO) with manual supplements.
• Risk of bias and evidence quality assessed using Cochrane RoB 2 Tool and GRADE, adhering to PRISMA-DTA checklist.

Main Results:

• Five studies on four brief interventions for primary care suicidality were identified from 1248 publications.
• Key interventions include motivational interviews, safety planning, structured follow-ups, and collaborative care models.
• These elements are crucial for enhancing primary care's role in suicide prevention.

Conclusions:

• Further research is essential to adapt and develop brief interventions specifically for primary care suicide prevention.
• GPs are strategically positioned to identify and support at-risk individuals.
• Tailored interventions are needed to optimize suicide prevention within general practice settings.