Citation

Pan YJ, Chang WH, Lee MB, Chen CH, Liao SC, Caine ED. Psychol. Med. 2013; 43(7): 1447-1454.

Affiliation

Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S0033291712002425

PMID

23092712

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of large-scale interventions to prevent suicide among persons who previously attempted suicide remains to be determined. The National Suicide Surveillance System (NSSS), launched in Taiwan in 2006, is a structured nationwide intervention program for people who survived their suicide attempts. This naturalistic study examined its effectiveness using data from the first 3 years of its operation. Method Effectiveness of the NSSS aftercare services was examined using a logistic/proportional odds mixture model, with eventual suicide as the outcome of interest. As well, we examined time until death for those who died and factors associated with eventual suicide. RESULTS: Receipt of aftercare services was associated with reduced risk for subsequent suicide; for service recipients who eventually killed themselves, there was a prolonged duration between the index and fatal attempts. Elderly attempters were particularly prone to a shorter duration between the index and fatal attempts. Male gender, the lethality potential of the index attempt, and a history of having had a mental disorder also were associated with higher risk. CONCLUSIONS: The structured aftercare program of the NSSS appears to decrease suicides and to delay time to death for those who remained susceptible to suicide.

Language: en