Related Experiment Videos
Attempted suicide: efficacy of treatment programs
1Psychiatrische Klinik, Technischen Universität München, Germany.
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
|May 1, 1995
Summary
Individuals with a history of suicide attempts face higher suicide risks. Current aftercare programs show limited success in reducing suicide rates or repeat attempts, highlighting the need for better psychiatric treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Individuals with a history of suicide attempts are at significantly elevated risk for completed suicide.
- Existing aftercare programs have not demonstrably reduced suicide rates in this high-risk population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review controlled prospective studies on the effectiveness of aftercare programs for individuals who have attempted suicide.
- To identify factors contributing to the limited success of current interventions and suggest future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of eleven controlled prospective studies evaluating suicide prevention and repeat attempt reduction strategies.
- Analysis of program impact on suicide rates and repeated suicidal behavior.
Main Results:
- None of the reviewed aftercare programs demonstrated a significant impact on reducing the overall suicide rate.
- Only one study reported a statistically significant reduction in repeated suicide attempts.
- Inadequate treatment strategies and insufficient statistical power were identified as potential reasons for the lack of efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Current aftercare interventions for suicide attempters are largely ineffective in reducing suicide rates.
- There is a critical need to shift focus from crisis management to identifying and treating underlying psychiatric illnesses, such as affective disorders and depression.
- Future research should prioritize the development and rigorous evaluation of evidence-based, long-term treatment programs tailored to this vulnerable group.