Community Based Support for People at Risk for Suicide and Those Who Care for them – Areas for Improvement

Abstract

To systematically review the quality of evidence regarding the effectiveness of supports for people affected by suicide. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO were searched for evaluations of community-based supports for people affected by suicide. Outcomes included suicide-related behavior, depression, grief, quality of life, caring ability, and qualitative experiences. Fifteen studies evaluated 15 supports of various modalities. Study quality was generally poor; most studies examined bereaved individuals with mixed findings. Few reduced suicide-related behavior, half improved depression, and grief, while studies of caring ability, quality of life, or qualitative experiences reported positive effects. Supports associated with better outcomes connected peers with similar experiences, were provided over a period of months, and involved veteran rather than novice facilitators. Supports for people affected by suicide may be effective for improving suicide-related behavior, psychological adjustment, quality of life and caregiving, but require further evaluation.

Keywords:

• suicide attempt
• bereavement
• postvention
• suicide
• support
• caring

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

There are no financial interests or benefits arising from this research to be disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

The literature search and initial evidence synthesis upon which this review was based formed part of a project funded by the Queensland Mental Health Commission. Jo Robinson is supported by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1142348). Sarah Hetrick is supported by an Auckland Medical Research Foundation Douglas Goodfellow Repatriation Fellowship.

Notes on contributors

Laura Finlayson-Short

Laura Finlayson-Short, Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health & Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Sarah Hetrick

Sarah Hetrick, Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Karolina Krysinska

Karolina Krysinska, Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW, Australia.

Meredith Harris

Meredith Harris, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.

Caroline Salom

Caroline Salom, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.

Nina Stefanac

Nina Stefanac, Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health & Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Eleanor Bailey

Eleanor Bailey, Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health & Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Jo Robinson

Jo Robinson, Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health & Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.