In "Public Health Action for the Prevention of Suicide: A Framework," (WHO, 2012) it is stated that : "...a major shift has been observed in suicide-related research, from being basically oriented to suicide in general to being much more oriented toward the prevention of suicide, based on sound epidemiological research." Is this an overstatement? Few studies seem to evaluate prevention or postvention programs.
It may certainly depends in which country you are. However, in general terms, I agree with you regarding the overstatement . In Australia, there is a strong move to evaluation programs in the last years. Unfortunatelly, however, these evaluations are seldom focused on the impact of the prevention programs... They are much more interested on how they spend the resources....
Much of the prevention-focused research in Australia arises from public concern about suicide and government wanting to act, and be seen to act, to address the concerning single cases and broader statistics. This means though that the projects are typically 3-year funded projects (matched to the election cycle) with no scope for extension. It will generally take a year to hire staff, develop protocols, establish the project, ensure referrals are appropriate, etc.
The project resources are tagged for and used for direct work with clients; not research.
There will typically be little clinical work in the last 6 months as the project is in its final stages, completing reports for the funding body, and attempting to gain other funds to extend of embed at least aspects of the program.
There is a limit to the breadth and depth of outcome-oriented research data that will be collected and can be analysed in a small project, typically single-site with only ~18 months of useable data...
(There may be other parallel projects funded, each working independently though and so less directly comparable in what research questions they have and what data they are collecting).
Jaime thus raises an interesting point regarding what evaluations in this area can and do report.
Two papers I was involved with to evaluate prevention or postvention programs at emergency dept/room follow:
This was our needs analysis and pilot:
Joubert, L., Petrakis, M., & Cementon, E. (2012). Suicide attempt presentations at the emergency department: Outcomes from a pilot study examining precipitating factors in deliberate self-harm and issues in primary care physician management. Social work in health care, 51(1), 66-76.
This was a psychosocial issues and intervention paper:
Petrakis, M., & Joubert, L. (2013). A Social Work Contribution to Suicide Prevention Through Assertive Brief Psychotherapy and Community Linkage: Use of the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA). Social work in health care, 52(2-3), 239-257.
And we published 3 conference proceedings at the time (2005-2006) re the model, client satisfaction and outcomes. There are details on my profile.
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