- Title
- The effectiveness of suicide prevention delivered by GPs: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Creator
- Milner, Allison; Witt, Katrina; Pirkis, Jane; Hetrick, Sarah; Robinson, Jo; Currier, Dianne; Spittal, Matthew J.; Page, Andrew; Carter, Gregory L.
- Relation
- Journal of Affective Disorders Vol. 210, p. 294-302
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.035
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2017
- Description
- Background: The aim of this review was to assess whether suicide prevention provided in the primary health care setting and delivered by GPs results in fewer suicide deaths, episodes of self-harm, attempts and lower frequency of thoughts about suicide. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using PRIMSA guidelines. Eligible studies: 1) evaluated an intervention provided by GPs; 2) assessed suicide, self-harm, attempted suicide or suicide ideation as outcomes, and; 3) used a quasi-experimental observational or trial design. Study specific effect sizes were combined using the random effects meta-analysis, with effects transformed into relative risk (RR). Results: We extracted data from 14 studies for quantitative meta-analysis. The RR for suicide death in quasi-experimental observational studies comparing an intervention region against another region acting as a "control" was 1.26 (95% CI 0.58, 2.74). When suicide in the intervention region was compared before and after the GP program, the RR was 0.78 (95% CI 0.62, 0.97). There was no evidence of a treatment effect for GP training on rates of suicide death in one cRCT (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.79, 1.45). There was no evidence of effect for the most other outcomes studied. Limitations: All of the studies included in this review are likely to have a high level of bias. It is also possible that we excluded or missed relevant studies in our review process Conclusions: Interventions have produced equivocal results, which varied by study design and outcome. Given these results, we cannot recommend the roll out of GP suicide prevention initiatives.
- Subject
- general practice; suicide prevention; self-harm; suicide attempt; suicide ideation; doctor suicide prevention
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1394581
- Identifier
- uon:33731
- Identifier
- ISSN:0165-0327
- Language
- eng
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