Thirteen years progress: a scoping review of suicide prevention initiatives in post-secondary settings

Abstract

Objective: Describe the literature on suicide prevention initiatives (SPIs) in post-secondary settings internationally since 2010. Methods: A scoping review and bibliographic search were conducted across MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data in consultation with a community social work team. Included articles described SPIs in post-secondary settings. Secondary sources and articles unavailable in English were excluded. Results: After identifying 931 citations, 76 articles representing five continents were included. Included articles spanned 2010 to 2023. Most articles represented North America, used quantitative methods, and focused on gatekeepers. SPIs in post-secondary settings were characterized by standardized and commercially available training programs and a wide variety of ‘in-house’ initiatives unique to campus communities. Conclusions: The quantity of research on SPIs in post-secondary settings has not kept pace with escalating mental health issues and the extent to which suicide is an urgent public health issue for young adults.

Keywords:

• College
• higher education
• suicide
• training
• universities

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge two collaborators, Janelle Streeter and Taylor Krochak, who contributed to the project through screening articles and extracting data. The authors would like to thank Megan Kennedy, a research librarian at the University of Alberta, who attended our first collaborative meeting and developed and implemented a comprehensive search strategy across four databases.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. This article is a scoping review of previously published data. Therefore, no institutional ethical review from the University of Alberta in Canada was needed.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.