Surveillance Technologies for Suicide Prevention in Public Places: A Scoping Review of Their Nature and Feasibility

This scoping review maps the range of surveillance technologies being implemented and proposed for suicide prevention in public locations, and explores the reported feasibility of implementing surveillance technologies for suicide prevention.

Searches were conducted via EBSCO (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Computer Source), Ovid (SPP), Web of Science, PTSDpubs, CENTRAL (Cochrane), and IEEE Xplore. Grey literature searches were conducted through Overton, preprint databases (e.g., PsyArXiv), and industry/government websites. Studies were included if they were written in English and described surveillance technologies in public locations that could identify possible suicide-related incidents.

169 reports were included, mostly from academia. Around half of the reports described technology that had already been implemented. CCTV was the most discussed technology, and the railways were the most common location referenced. 111 reports discussed the feasibility of implementing these technologies. Key factors which determined feasibility included the processes and procedures involved in installing or using the technology, legal and ethical issues, staff and public attitudes toward technology, the appropriateness of the technology for particular contexts or locations, and cost-effectiveness.

Key gaps in the current research include a lack of lived experience involvement and ethical consideration being reported, and a disparity in research coming from high and low/middle income countries. Future research needs to prioritize transparency around ethical implications, consulting people with lived experience, and sharing findings internationally to further the global suicide prevention imperative.