[ASIST_Network] Research Article - Effect of Suicide Prevention Programs on Suicide Attempts

[NOONAN Donna]

Dear Oregon ASIST Trainers,
Please excuse cross-postings. I'm sending this because of its relevance to  you - ASIST  trainings are an important part of comprehensive suicide prevention programs.

Today's Spark (www.sprc.org<http://www.sprc.org>) references a new article:

Effect of the GLS Suicide Prevention Program on suicide attempts among youths
An analysis of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that counties in which Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Youth Suicide Prevention Program grants (GLS programs) were implemented "had significantly lower suicide attempt rates among the population aged 16 to 23 years in the year following implementation of the GLS program than did similar counties that did not implement GLS program activities." Counties with GLS programs were found to have 4.9 fewer attempts per 1000 youth between the ages of 16 to 23 in the year following program implementation. Gatekeeper training was used as a benchmark indicating local GLS implementation. There was no similar decrease in suicide attempts among people older than 23 (i.e. not in the GLS target audience), which was taken as evidence that the decline in suicides resulted from GLS program activities. This research suggests that GLS programs may have prevented more than 79,000 suicide attempts between 2008 and 2011.

The programs did not sustain this level of effectiveness after one year. The authors suggested that "adherence and focus on comprehensive suicide prevention activities may fade over time" and that "effectively preventing suicides requires continued implementation of program activities."

This summary is from: Garraza, L. G., Walrath, C., Goldston, D., Reid, H., & McKeon, R. (2015). Effect of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program on suicide attempts among youths. JAMA Psychiatry, 72(11), 1143-1149. Read the abstract here<http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2461739>.

SPRC Resource
The findings of this research were similar to those of a previously published analysis, which showed that counties with GLS programs had significantly lower suicide rates for young people in the 10-24 year age group than similar counties without a GLS program. A summary of this research<http://www.sprc.org/node/50553/> was published in the May 1, 2015 Weekly Spark.

ASIST trainings have been and continue to be an important part of our suicide prevention strategies! The Oregon Health Division funded 14 counties in Oregon from 2009-2012  for youth suicide prevention activities through a GLS grant - you might have participated! We have a 5-year GLS grant now - I'll attach the abstract, FYI.

I've ordered a copy of the new article and will send it to you upon request. I sent information about the previous article, Impact of the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Program on Suicide Mortality by Walreth et. al. (Am J Public Health. 2015;105:986-993. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014) last spring, in case this sounds familiar. I have a copy and can send that to you also. Just let me know!

We continue to see demand for ASIST trainings increase throughout the state. You are doing such important work - thank you!!!

With kind regards,
Donna


Donna G. Noonan, MPH, CHES
Youth Suicide Prevention Coordinator
Oregon Public Health Division
800 NE Oregon, Ste. 730
Portland, OR 97232
971-673-1023
donna.noonan at state.or.us<mailto:donna.noonan at state.or.us>

Join the Youth Suicide Prevention Network<http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/yspnetwork> (YSPNetwork) listserv

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/asist_network/attachments/20151218/24e52f5d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Narrative Abstract GLS 2014_detail dgn.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 15690 bytes
Desc: Narrative Abstract GLS 2014_detail dgn.docx
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/asist_network/attachments/20151218/24e52f5d/attachment.docx>