Citation

Lewitzka U, Sauer C, Bauer M, Felber W. BMC Psychiatry 2019; 19(1): e158.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, D-01307, Dresden, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12888-019-2147-y

PMID

31122215

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Suicide and non-fatal suicidal behavior are significant public health issues worldwide requiring effective preventive interventions.

METHODS: The aim of the present study was to analyze the effectiveness of national suicide prevention programs taking a statistical approach involving the segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data.

RESULTS: This study demonstrates that National Suicide Prevention Programs are effective, but this effect seems to correlate with age and sex. Our data have shown a statistical significant decline in suicide rates in the verum countries in males, with the strongest effects in groups aged 25-to-44 years and 45-to-64 years.

CONCLUSION: Our study implies that the implementation of a national strategy is an effective tool to reduce suicide rates.

Language: en

Keywords

Effectiveness; Suicide; Suicide prevention programs; Suicide rates