The contribution of suicide to maternal mortality: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the incidence and characteristics of maternal suicide. DESIGN: Nationwide population-based cohort study. SETTING: The Netherlands, 2006-2020. POPULATION: Women who died during pregnancy or within 1 year postpartum, and a reference population of women aged 25-45 years. METHODS: The Cause of Death Register and Medical Birth Register were linked to identify women who died within 1 year postpartum. Data were combined with deaths reported to the Audit Committee for Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (ACMMM), which performs confidential enquiries. Maternal suicides were compared with a previous period (1996-2005). Risk factors were obtained by combining vital statistics databases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of incidence and proportion of maternal suicides among all maternal deaths over time, sociodemographic and patient-related risk factors and underreporting of postpartum suicides. RESULTS: The maternal suicide rate remained stable with 68 deaths: 2.6 per 100 000 live births in 2006-2020 versus 2.5 per 100 000 in 1996-2005. The proportion of suicides among all maternal deaths increased from 18% to 28%. Most suicides occurred throughout the first year postpartum (64/68); 34 (53%) of the women who died by suicide postpartum were primiparous. Compared with mid-level, low educational level was a risk factor (odds ratio 4.2, 95% confidence interval 2.3-7.9). Of 20 women reported to the ACMMM, 11 (55%) had a psychiatric history and 13 (65%) were in psychiatric treatment at the time of death. Underreporting to ACMMM was 78%. CONCLUSIONS: Although the overall maternal mortality ratio declined, maternal suicides did not and are now the leading cause of maternal mortality if late deaths up to 1 year postpartum are included. Data collection and analysis of suicides must improve.

Gender-specific pathways in mental health crisis in adolescents, from consultation to (in)voluntary admission: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: A strong increase in mental health emergency consultations and admissions in youths has been reported in recent years. Although empirical evidence is lacking, gender differences in risk of admission may have contributed to this increase. A clearer understanding of the relationship, if any, between gender and various aspects of (in)voluntary care would help in more evidence-based service planning. METHODS: We analysed registry data for 2008-2017 on 3770 outpatient emergencies involving young people aged 12 to 18 years from one urban area in the Netherlands, served by outreaching psychiatric emergency services. These adolescents were seen in multiple locations and received a psychosocial assessment including a questionnaire on the severity of their problems and living conditions. Our aims were to (a) investigate the different locations, previous use of mental health service, DSM classifications, severity items, living conditions and family characteristics involved and (b) identify which of these characteristics in particular contribute to an increased risk of admission. RESULTS: In 3770 consultations (concerning 2670 individuals), more girls (58%) were seen than boys. Boys and girls presented mainly with relationship problems, followed by disruptive disorders and internalizing disorders. Diagnostic differences diminished in hospitalisation. More specifically, disruptive disorders were evenly distributed. Suicide risk was rated significantly higher in girls, danger to others significantly higher in boys. More girls than boys had recently been in mental health care prior to admission. Although boys and girls overall did not differ in the severity of their problems, female gender predicted admission more strongly. In both boys and girls severity of problems and lack of involvement of the family significantly predicted admission. Older age and danger to others significantly predicted admission among boys, whereas psychosis, suicidality and poor motivation for treatment predicted admission among girls. CONCLUSION: There are different pathways for youth admission, which can partly be explained by different psychiatric classifications as well as gender-specific differences with regard to age, suicide risk, danger to others and the influence of motivation for treatment. Finally, for both genders, family desire for hospitalisation is also an important predictor.

Sociodemographic and psychosocial risk factors of railway suicide a mixed-methods study combining data of all suicide decedents in the Netherlands with data from a psychosocial autopsy study.

BACKGROUND: Railway suicide has profound implications for the victims and their family, and affects train drivers, railway personnel, emergency services and witnesses. To inform a multilevel prevention strategy, more knowledge is required about psychosocial and precipitating risk factors of railway suicide. METHODS: Data from Statistics Netherlands of all suicides between 2017 and 2021 (n = 9.241) of whom 986 died by railway suicide and interview data from a psychosocial autopsy of railway suicide decedents (n = 39) were integrated. We performed logistic regression analyses to identify sociodemographic predictors of railway suicide compared to other methods of suicide. The Constant Comparative Method was subsequently employed on interview data from the psychosocial autopsy to identify patterns in psychosocial risk factors for railway suicide. RESULTS: The strongest predictors of railway suicide compared to other suicide methods were young age (< 30 years old), native Dutch, a high educational level, living in a multi-person household (especially living with parents or in an institution), living in a rural area and a high annual household income of > 150.000 euros. Several subgroups emerged in the psychosocial autopsy interviews, which specifically reflect populations at risk of railway suicide. These subgroups were [1] young adult males with autism spectrum disorder who strived for more autonomy and an independent life, [2] young adult females with persistent suicidal thoughts and behaviours, [3] middle-aged males with a persistent mood disorder who lived with family and who faced stressors proximal to the suicide in personal and professional settings, [4] male out-of-the-blue suicides and [5] persons with psychotic symptoms and a rapid deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: based on our findings we propose and discuss several recommendations to prevent railway suicide. We must continue to invest in a safe railway environment by training personnel and installing barriers. Additionally, we should adopt prevention strategies that align the needs of subgroups at increased risk, including young females who have attempted other methods of suicide and young males with autism spectrum disorder. Future research should determine the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of low-maintenance, automated interventions near crossings and psychiatric facilities.

Automated Behavioral Coding to Enhance the Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing in a Chat-Based Suicide Prevention Helpline: Secondary Analysis of a Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: With the rise of computer science and artificial intelligence, analyzing large data sets promises enormous potential in gaining insights for developing and improving evidence-based health interventions. One such intervention is the counseling strategy motivational interviewing (MI), which has been found effective in improving a wide range of health-related behaviors. Despite the simplicity of its principles, MI can be a challenging skill to learn and requires expertise to apply effectively. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the performance of artificial intelligence models in classifying MI behavior and explore the feasibility of using these models in online helplines for mental health as an automated support tool for counselors in clinical practice. METHODS: We used a coded data set of 253 MI counseling chat sessions from the 113 Suicide Prevention helpline. With 23,982 messages coded with the MI Sequential Code for Observing Process Exchanges codebook, we trained and evaluated 4 machine learning models and 1 deep learning model to classify client- and counselor MI behavior based on language use. RESULTS: The deep learning model BERTje outperformed all machine learning models, accurately predicting counselor behavior (accuracy=0.72, area under the curve [AUC]=0.95, Cohen κ=0.69). It differentiated MI congruent and incongruent counselor behavior (AUC=0.92, κ=0.65) and evocative and nonevocative language (AUC=0.92, κ=0.66). For client behavior, the model achieved an accuracy of 0.70 (AUC=0.89, κ=0.55). The model's interpretable predictions discerned client change talk and sustain talk, counselor affirmations, and reflection types, facilitating valuable counselor feedback. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that artificial intelligence techniques can accurately classify MI behavior, indicating their potential as a valuable tool for enhancing MI proficiency in online helplines for mental health. Provided that the data set size is sufficiently large with enough training samples for each behavioral code, these methods can be trained and applied to other domains and languages, offering a scalable and cost-effective way to evaluate MI adherence, accelerate behavioral coding, and provide therapists with personalized, quick, and objective feedback.

Forecasting call and chat volumes at online helplines for mental health.

BACKGROUND: Each year, many help seekers in need contact health helplines for mental support. It is crucial that they receive support immediately, and that waiting times are minimal. In order to minimize delay, helplines must have adequate staffing levels, especially during peak hours. This has raised the need for means to predict the call and chat volumes ahead of time accurately. Motivated by this, in this paper, we analyze real-life data to develop models for accurately forecasting call volumes, for both phone and chat conversations for online mental health support. METHODS: This research was conducted on real call and chat data (adequately anonymized) provided by 113 Suicide Prevention (Over ons | 113 Zelfmoordpreventie) (throughout referred to as '113'), the online helpline for suicide prevention in the Netherlands. Chat and phone call data were analyzed to better understand the important factors that influence the call arrival process. These factors were then used as input to several Machine Learning (ML) models to forecast the number of call and chat arrivals. Next to that, senior counselors of the helpline completed a web-based questionnaire after each shift to assess their perception of the workload. RESULTS: This study has led to several remarkable and key insights. First, the most important factors that determine the call volumes for the helpline are the trend, and weekly and daily cyclic patterns (cycles), while monthly and yearly cycles were found to be non-significant predictors for the number of phone and chat conversations. Second, media events that were included in this study only have limited-and only short-term-impact on the call volumes. Third, so-called (S)ARIMA models are shown to lead to the most accurate prediction in the case of short-term forecasting, while simple linear models work best for long-term forecasting. Fourth, questionnaires filled in by senior counselors show that the experienced workload is mainly correlated to the number of chat conversations compared to phone calls. CONCLUSION: (S)ARIMA models can best be used to forecast the number of daily chats and phone calls with a MAPE of less than 10 in short-term forecasting. These models perform better than other models showing that the number of arrivals depends on historical data. These forecasts can be used as support for planning the number of counselors needed. Furthermore, the questionnaire data show that the workload experienced by senior counselors is more dependent on the number of chat arrivals and less on the number of available agents, showing the value of insight into the arrival process of conversations.

The self-perceived needs of adolescents with suicidal behaviour: a scoping review.

Suicidal behaviour in adolescents is a major public health problem. Much research on this issue has focused on epidemiology and risk factors for suicidal behaviour, paying less attention to the self-perceived needs of adolescents. However, to increase engagement in suicide prevention, it is important to include the views of adolescents. A scoping review was performed to identify the available empirical study findings, of any study design, related to the self-perceived needs of adolescents with suicidal behaviour. The literature databases Medline, Embase, Psycinfo, CINAHL, ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched. Twenty-nine studies from 14 predominantly Anglo countries were included in the scoping review. The review showed that girls were overrepresented and that studies predominantly used qualitative approaches. The identified needs of adolescents with suicidal behaviour can broadly be grouped into needs related to the following areas: the importance of connecting with other people; adolescents' self-help strategies and personal growth after self-harm; mental healthcare; school or study programs; and needs related to society in relation to taboo on suicidal behaviour. Prevention of suicidal behaviour in adolescents will need to focus on development and strengthening of interventions fitting the needs of adolescents in these areas.

Detecting changes in help seeker conversations on a suicide prevention helpline during the COVID- 19 pandemic: in-depth analysis using encoder representations from transformers.

BACKGROUND: Preventatives measures to combat the spread of COVID- 19 have introduced social isolation, loneliness and financial stress. This study aims to identify whether the COVID-19 pandemic is related to changes in suicide-related problems for help seekers on a suicide prevention helpline. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using chat data from a suicide prevention helpline in the Netherlands. The natural language processing method BERTopic was used to detect common topics in messages from December 1, 2019 until June 1, 2020 (N = 8589). Relative topic occurrence was compared before and during the lock down starting on March 23, 2020. The observed changes in topic usage were likewise analyzed for male and female, younger and older help seekers and help seekers living alone. RESULTS: The topic of the COVID-19 pandemic saw an 808% increase in relative occurrence after the lockdown. Furthermore, the results show that help seeker increased mention of thanking the counsellor (+ 15%), and male and young help seekers were grateful for the conversation (+ 45% and + 32% respectively). Coping methods such as watching TV (- 21%) or listening to music (- 15%) saw a decreased mention. Plans for suicide (- 9%) and plans for suicide at a specific location (- 15%) also saw a decreased mention. However, plans for suicide were mentioned more frequently by help seekers over 30 years old (+ 11%) or who live alone and (+ 52%). Furthermore, male help seekers talked about contact with emergency care (+ 43%) and panic and anxiety (+ 24%) more often. Negative emotions (+ 22%) and lack of self-confidence (+ 15%) were mentioned more often by help seekers under 30, and help seekers over 30 saw an increased mention of substance abuse (+ 9%). CONCLUSION: While mentions of distraction, social interaction and plans for suicide decreased, expressions of gratefulness for the helpline increased, highlighting the importance of contact to help seekers during the lockdown. Help seekers under 30, male or who live alone, showed changes that negatively related to suicidality and should be monitored closely.

Content-Based Recommender Support System for Counselors in a Suicide Prevention Chat Helpline: Design and Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: The working environment of a suicide prevention helpline requires high emotional and cognitive awareness from chat counselors. A shared opinion among counselors is that as a chat conversation becomes more difficult, it takes more effort and a longer amount of time to compose a response, which, in turn, can lead to writer's block. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates and then designs supportive technology to determine if a support system that provides inspiration can help counselors resolve writer's block when they encounter difficult situations in chats with help-seekers. METHODS: A content-based recommender system with sentence embedding was used to search a chat corpus for similar chat situations. The system showed a counselor the most similar parts of former chat conversations so that the counselor would be able to use approaches previously taken by their colleagues as inspiration. In a within-subject experiment, counselors' chat replies when confronted with a difficult situation were analyzed to determine if experts could see a noticeable difference in chat replies that were obtained in 3 conditions: (1) with the help of the support system, (2) with written advice from a senior counselor, or (3) when receiving no help. In addition, the system's utility and usability were measured, and the validity of the algorithm was examined. RESULTS: A total of 24 counselors used a prototype of the support system; the results showed that, by reading chat replies, experts were able to significantly predict if counselors had received help from the support system or from a senior counselor (P=.004). Counselors scored the information they received from a senior counselor (M=1.46, SD 1.91) as significantly more helpful than the information received from the support system or when no help was given at all (M=-0.21, SD 2.26). Finally, compared with randomly selected former chat conversations, counselors rated the ones identified by the content-based recommendation system as significantly more similar to their current chats (ß=.30, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Support given to counselors influenced how they responded in difficult conversations. However, the higher utility scores given for the advice from senior counselors seem to indicate that specific actionable instructions are preferred. We expect that these findings will be beneficial for developing a system that can use similar chat situations to generate advice in a descriptive style, hence helping counselors through writer's block.

Additional Value of Peer Informants in Psychological Autopsy Studies of Youth Suicides.

In this study, we examined the feasibility and added value of including peer informants in a psychological autopsy study of youth suicides. Peer semi-structured interview data from 16 cases were analyzed qualitatively and compared to parent data. Results show that peers added information to parents' narratives in general and particularly on social relationships, bullying, school experiences, social media, and family relations. Peers also provided additional information on the presence of certain issues (such as social media contagion) as well as on the emotional impact from certain adverse events that seemed to have functioned as precipitating factors. We conclude that including peers in psychological autopsy studies of youth suicides is feasible and of added value but that more research is desirable. The results initially can be used in the design of psychological autopsies so that the maximum amount of information about each suicide will be learned.

Parental feeding styles, young children's fruit, vegetable, water and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and the moderating role of maternal education and ethnic background.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between parental feeding styles and children's dietary intakes and the modifying effect of maternal education and children's ethnicity on these associations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of parental feeding styles, assessed by the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire, and children's dietary intakes. Multiple regression analyses were carried out to assess the associations between the parental feeding styles studied ('control', 'emotional feeding', 'encouragement to eat' and 'instrumental feeding') and children's dietary intakes (consumption of fruit, vegetables, water and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB)). The modifying effect of maternal education and children's ethnicity on these associations was explored. SETTING: North-western part of the Netherlands. SUBJECTS: Children aged 3-7 years (n 5926). RESULTS: Both 'encouragement' and 'control' were associated with higher consumption of vegetables and lower consumption of SSB, but only 'encouragement' was positively associated with fruit and water intakes. 'Instrumental feeding' showed a positive association with SSB and negative associations with fruit, vegetable and water consumption. No significant associations were found for 'emotional feeding'. Maternal educational level and children's ethnicity moderated some associations; for example, 'control' was beneficial for vegetable intake in all subgroups, whereas the association with SSB was beneficial only in highly educated mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that both encouraging and controlling feeding styles may improve children's dietary behaviour, while 'instrumental feeding' may have a detrimental effect. Furthermore, maternal educational level and children's ethnicity influence these associations. The study's findings could provide a basis for development of interventions to improve parental feeding styles.

Long-term follow-up of home-based behavioral management training provided by migraine patients.

BACKGROUND: Behavioral migraine approaches are effective in reducing headache attacks. Availability of treatment might be increased by using migraine patients as trainers. Therefore, Mérelle and colleagues developed and evaluated a home-based behavioral management training (BMT) by lay trainers (1). The maintenance of effects at long-term follow-up is studied in the present study. METHOD: Measurements were taken pre-BMT (T0), post-BMT (T1), at six-month follow-up (T2), and at long-term follow-up, i.e. two to four years after BMT (T3). Data of 127 participants were analyzed with longitudinal multi-level analyses. RESULTS: Short-term improvements in attack frequency and self-efficacy post-BMT were maintained at long-term follow-up ( DT0T3 = -.34 and DT0T3 = .69, respectively). The level of internal control that increased during BMT decreased from post-BMT to long-term follow-up ( DT0T3 = .18). Quality of life and migraine-related disability improved gradually over time ( DT0T3 = .45 and DT0T3 = -.26, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although the results should be interpreted with caution because of the lack of a follow-up control group and the inability to gather information about additional treatments patients may have received during the follow-up period, the findings suggest that lay BMT for migraine may be beneficial over the long term. If so, this could make migraine treatments more widely available.

The Most Effective Interventions for Classification Model Development to Predict Chat Outcomes Based on the Conversation Content in Online Suicide Prevention Chats: Machine Learning Approach.

BACKGROUND: For the provision of optimal care in a suicide prevention helpline, it is important to know what contributes to positive or negative effects on help seekers. Helplines can often be contacted through text-based chat services, which produce large amounts of text data for use in large-scale analysis. OBJECTIVE: We trained a machine learning classification model to predict chat outcomes based on the content of the chat conversations in suicide helplines and identified the counsellor utterances that had the most impact on its outputs. METHODS: From August 2021 until January 2023, help seekers (N=6903) scored themselves on factors known to be associated with suicidality (eg, hopelessness, feeling entrapped, will to live) before and after a chat conversation with the suicide prevention helpline in the Netherlands (113 Suicide Prevention). Machine learning text analysis was used to predict help seeker scores on these factors. Using 2 approaches for interpreting machine learning models, we identified text messages from helpers in a chat that contributed the most to the prediction of the model. RESULTS: According to the machine learning model, helpers' positive affirmations and expressing involvement contributed to improved scores of the help seekers. Use of macros and ending the chat prematurely due to the help seeker being in an unsafe situation had negative effects on help seekers. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals insights for improving helpline chats, emphasizing the value of an evocative style with questions, positive affirmations, and practical advice. It also underscores the potential of machine learning in helpline chat analysis.

The prevalence, course, and risk factors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among students in vocational education.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents and young adults. Given that suicide in this age group is common within vocational students, this study aims to provide insights into the prevalence, course, and risk factors of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA) among students in vocational education over the past 10 years. METHODS: This study has a repeated cross-sectional design, utilizing data from 2013 to 2023 provided by the 'Testjeleefstijl' foundation in the Netherlands ('Test Your Lifestyle'). In total, 101,182 students in vocational education completed a web-based standardized questionnaire. Univariate logistic regression was used to test the predictive value of risk factors separately (anxiety and depression, gender, age and school year) on SI and SA. In addition, a machine learning model (Berkelmans et al., 2023) ​was used for high-risk identification of combined risk factors (multivariate models). RESULTS: Within vocational students, 12-month SI and SA prevalence increased from respectively 17.7% and 2.3% in schoolyear 2013-2014 to 23% and 3.2% in 2022-2023. Although female gender significantly predicted SI and SA in the univariate analyses, the multivariate models revealed that female gender decreased the likelihood of both SI (OR 0.9) and SA (OR 0.7). A high risk for anxiety and depression was the strongest predictor in the multivariate models for SI (OR 42.8) and SA (OR 19.0). CONCLUSION: Over the past decade, the prevalence of SI and SA increased in students in vocational education, with the risk of anxiety and depression being the strongest contributing factor. While females had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression, the results suggest these conditions tend to lead to SI and SA more quickly among male students. Early intervention in suicide prevention is crucial, highlighting the need to identify and address anxiety and depression. Vocational education schools have a critical role in this, emphasizing early screening and intervention, with specific attention to gender-specific factors.

Breaking Down Barriers to a Suicide Prevention Helpline: Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Every month, around 3800 people complete an anonymous self-test for suicidal thoughts on the website of the Dutch suicide prevention helpline. Although 70% score high on the severity of suicidal thoughts, <10% navigate to the web page about contacting the helpline. Objective: This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a brief barrier reduction intervention (BRI) in motivating people with severe suicidal thoughts to contact the suicide prevention helpline, specifically in high-risk groups such as men and middle-aged people. Methods: We conducted a fully automated, web-based, randomized controlled trial. Respondents with severe suicidal thoughts and little motivation to contact the helpline were randomly allocated either to a brief BRI, in which they received a short, tailored message based on their self-reported barrier to the helpline (n=610), or a general advisory text (care as usual as the control group: n=612). Effectiveness was evaluated using both behavioral and attitudinal measurements. The primary outcome measure was the use of a direct link to contact the helpline after completing the intervention or control condition. Secondary outcomes were the self-reported likelihood of contacting the helpline and satisfaction with the received self-test. Results: In total, 2124 website visitors completed the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale and the demographic questions in the entry screening questionnaire. Among them, 1222 were randomized into the intervention or control group. Eventually, 772 respondents completed the randomized controlled trial (intervention group: n=369; control group: n=403). The most selected barrier in both groups was "I don't think that my problems are serious enough." At the end of the trial, 33.1% (n=122) of the respondents in the intervention group used the direct link to the helpline. This was not significantly different from the respondents in the control group (144/403, 35.7%; odds ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.64-1.18, P=.38). However, the respondents who received the BRI did score higher on their self-reported likelihood of contacting the helpline at a later point in time (B=0.22, 95% CI 0.12-0.32, P≤.001) and on satisfaction with the self-test (B=0.27, 95% CI 0.01-0.53, P=.04). For male and middle-aged respondents specifically, the results were comparable to that of the whole group. Conclusions: This trial was the first time the helpline was able to connect with high-risk website visitors who were hesitant to contact the helpline. Although the BRI could not ensure that those respondents immediately used the direct link to the helpline at the end of the trial, it is encouraging that respondents indicated that they were more likely to contact the helpline at a later point in time. In addition, this low-cost intervention provided greater insight into the perceived barriers to service. Follow-up research should be focused on identifying the added value of other components (eg, video or photo material) in the BRI and increasing its effectiveness, especially for men and middle-aged people.

Development of an implementation plan for a school-based multimodal approach for depression and suicide prevention in adolescents.

Strong Teens and Resilient Minds (STORM) is a multimodal, school-based approach for depression and suicide prevention in adolescents that is currently implemented in a region in the Netherlands. The STORM approach will be implemented in new regions in the coming years. This study used the implementation mapping protocol to report on the development of the STORM implementation plan. First, a needs assessment was conducted through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and brainstorming sessions with regional programme leaders in the two regions that started implementing STORM in 2023. This led to the identification of six main barriers to implementation: high level of demands for schools, insufficient understanding of the programme content, insufficient network collaboration, no perceived relative advantage of STORM by stakeholders, lack of attention to sustainability, and high work pressure. Second, performance and change objectives were formulated based on these barriers. For example, a performance objective for potential providers was that they felt supported by STORM. Third, implementation strategies were selected from theory and translated into practical applications through brainstorming sessions with programme leaders. The following strategies were included in the implementation plan: collaborate with similar initiatives within the region, free up time for STORM tasks, tailor strategies, identify and prepare STORM champions, and promote network weaving. Last, a plan to evaluate the implementation of STORM and the application of the STORM implementation plan was formulated. Planned evaluation research will provide more insight into the usefulness and impact of the STORM implementation plan.

The forever decision: a qualitative study among survivors of a suicide attempt.

Background: Suicide attempts have a profound emotional impact on both individuals and society as a whole. This qualitative study delves into three key aspects: 1) the progression through the suicidal process, 2) the influential factors facilitating the transition from ideation to attempt using the volitional moderators within the integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model, and 3) preventive strategies impeding this transition from ideation to attempt. Methods: Between October 1, 2022 and March 7, 2023 we interviewed 27 adults (23 women, four men, mean age 33 years) who attempted suicide within the past 12 months. Participants were recruited through social media and in collaboration with several mental health institutions in the Netherlands. The participants were initially screened and interviewed based on the Pathway to Suicidal Actions Interview. Analysis was performed employing the constant comparative method. Findings: Despite the heterogeneity of the suicidal process, suicidal thoughts predominately emerged during adolescence (Mdn = 15, M = 17.8). In most participants, planning and preparatory actions occurred long before the attempt, with a median of six years prior to the attempt for the selection of the method. All volitional moderators were observed, although pain sensitivity in particular varied among participants. Access to lethal means and planning emerged as important moderators in the suicidal process. Asking the survivors what could have helped to prevent their attempts, most participants mentioned that they felt their suicidality was not taken seriously enough. Interpretation: We discussed the significance of planning in the suicidal process, challenges in conceptualizing planning and impulsivity, and individual differences in pain sensitivity. Based on the findings, we underscore the critical need for restricting access to means, giving greater consideration to preparatory actions within the suicidal process, and fostering open dialogues about suicidality. Funding: This research was funded by ProRail, the Dutch rail infrastructure manager in line with their work on mental health.

Guiding principles for the implementation of a standardized psychological autopsy to understand and prevent suicide: a stakeholder analysis.

Background: Around 700,000 people die by suicide each year. While the global number of suicides declined over the last decade, the rates remained unchanged in the Netherlands. With this study, we aimed to provide guiding principles for the implementation of a national standardized psychological autopsy to better understand and prevent suicide, by exploring stakeholder perceptions and needs, and barriers to implementation. Methods: We interviewed 47 representative stakeholders from various fields (e.g., mental healthcare professionals, policy advisors, researchers). A semi structured interview design was used, based on the RE-AIM and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) theoretical frameworks. Results: Themes relating to stakeholder perceptions and needs for a standardized psychological autopsy included valorization, accountability, integrability and the needs of the bereaved. Stakeholders believed that participation in a psychological autopsy can help bereaved in their process of grief but noted that evidence to frame the psychological autopsy as postvention is insufficient. The primary focal point should accordingly be to better understand and prevent suicide. Several key limitations of the proposed psychological autopsy approach were detailed, both methodological and implementational. Conclusion: The stakeholder analysis delineates guiding principles for implementation. Stakeholders believe that a standardized psychological autopsy has merit, provided that key considerations, including valorization and accountability, are integrated in its design. Routine evaluation should be ensured. The findings may guide policy makers and researchers in their endeavors to support a learning, community-based approach for suicide prevention based on a standardized psychological autopsy.

[Suicidal behavior in emergency care: 10 tips for an active, empathetic and preventative approach]. / Suïcidaal gedrag op de SEH.

Patients with suicidal behaviour are frequently seen in A&E departments. Providing care for this patient group can be challenging and medical staff have often not received specialized training to improve their knowledge and skills. An empathetic approach combined with brief interventions such as safety planning, collaborating with carers and partnership with local organizations can help A&E professionals to optimize care for these patients and contribute to the prevention of future suicide attempts.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Suicide Prevention Helpline in The Netherlands.

Background: Although the number of suicides did not increase in 2020, there are concerns about the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aims: To present the demand for the Dutch suicide prevention helpline during times of lockdown and to describe the coronavirus-related problems discussed. Methods: An observational and exploratory study analyzing the frequency of helpline requests and registration data (n = 893 conversations). Results: Demand for the helpline did increase, but with no distinctive relation with the lockdown measures. During the first lockdown, approximately a quarter of the analyzed helpline conversations were registered as coronavirus-related by the counselors. Most frequently mentioned conversation topics were the interruption to or changes in professional help, social isolation and loss of structure, and ways to find a distraction from suicidal thoughts/rumination. Limitations: Observational study design prevents causal inferences, and demand for the helpline is impacted by multiple factors. Conclusion: These coronavirus-related problems made help-seekers vulnerable to suicidal thoughts and a reduced desire to live. That many suffered from loneliness is concerning as this contributes to the risk of suicidal ideation. The distress among help-seekers due to the sudden loss of mental health care underscores the importance of maintaining contact with those in care and lowering the threshold for help.

Breaking Down Barriers to a Suicide Prevention Helpline: Protocol for a Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Globally, suicide is among the leading causes of death, with men being more at risk to die from suicide than women. Research suggests that people with suicidal ideation often struggle to find adequate help. Every month, around 4000 people fill in the anonymous self-test for suicidal thoughts on the website of the Dutch suicide prevention helpline. This self-test includes the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS), which educates users about the severity of their suicidal thoughts. The vast majority (70%) of people who complete the self-test score higher than the cutoff point (≥21) for severe suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, despite this, less than 10% of test-takers navigate to the web page about contacting the helpline. OBJECTIVE: This protocol presents the design of a web-based randomized controlled trial that aims to reduce barriers to contacting the suicide prevention helpline. The aim of this study is 2-fold: (1) to measure the effectiveness of a brief barrier reduction intervention (BRI) provided in the self-test motivating people with severe suicidal thoughts to contact the Dutch suicide prevention helpline and (2) to specifically evaluate the effectiveness of the BRI in increasing service use by high-risk groups for suicide such as men and middle-aged people. METHODS: People visiting the self-test for suicidal thoughts on the website of the suicide prevention helpline will be asked to participate in a study to improve the self-test. Individuals with severe suicidal thoughts and little motivation to contact the helpline will be randomly allocated either to a brief BRI, in which they will receive a short tailored message based on their self-reported barrier to the helpline (n=388) or care as usual (general advisory text, n=388). The primary outcome measure is the use of a direct link to contact the helpline after receiving the intervention or control condition. Secondary outcomes are the self-reported likelihood of contacting the helpline (on a 5-point scale) and satisfaction with the self-test. In the BRI, participants receive tailored information to address underlying concerns and misconceptions of barriers to the helpline. A pilot study was conducted among current test-takers to identify these specific barriers. RESULTS: The pilot study (N=1083) revealed multiple barriers to contacting the helpline. The most prominent were the belief that a conversation with a counselor would not be effective, fear of the conversation itself, and emotional concerns about talking about suicidal thoughts. CONCLUSIONS: Our study will provide insight into the effectiveness of a brief BRI designed to increase the use of a suicide prevention helpline provided in a self-test on suicidal thoughts. If successful, this intervention has the potential to be a low-cost, easily scalable, and feasible method to increase service use for helplines across the world. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05458830; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05458830. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/41078.