Citation

Lavigne JE, Lagerberg T, Ambrosi JW, Chang Z. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2021; 51(1): 127-136.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/sltb.12677

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To provide researchers, clinicians and policy makers with a primer to study designs, statistical approaches and graphical reporting methods for suicide research in real world data (RWD).

METHODS: Study designs, statistical method and graphical reporting standards are detailed with examples from the recently published literature.

RESULTS: Data sources and codes for identifying suicidal behavior are described. Study designs are described in detail for post-market surveillance, retrospective cohort studies, case control and nested case-control studies, and self-controlled (within-individual) studies including applications of marginal structural models. Graphical reporting of designs is described using an original research study.

CONCLUSIONS: Compared to RCTs, RWE studies offer larger sample sizes, greater generalizability, and real-world validity. However, these non-experimental data risk uncontrolled confounding and potential introduction of bias unless data, design and statistical approaches are rigorously aligned.

Language: en