Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
Summary
There have been some encouraging signs of a reduction in lives lost to suicide in the past few years, after a decade of relatively static rates. Evidence-based interventions are required to build on this momentum and ensure that as a country we continue to see reductions in the suicide rate.
This publication summarises the most up-to-date and relevant local and international literature on suicide prevention and postvention. It highlights what the most impactful interventions are for the New Zealand context and where the gaps in the research are.
Because literature on suicide prevention mostly reflects a Western, individualised, and often psychiatric perspective on suicide within a strong positivist tradition, this review has ensured a specific search for, and inclusion of, suicide prevention activity in Aotearoa New Zealand, irrespective of publication status or study design.
The review highlights the importance of, and relative under-utilisation of universal strategies that address structural determinants such as poverty, loss of land, discrimination and violence, un- and underemployment, such as unemployment benefits, active support of return to labour market programmes, social welfare and robust employment protection legislation.
Key evidence-based universal interventions include increasing adherence to responsible media suicide reporting guidelines, as well as application to social media and all public communication, restricting access to means of suicide, and reducing access to alcohol are critical. Selected and indicated interventions, including psychosocial assessment and support to address factors that increase suicidal distress that are delivered in the context of these universal approaches to suicide prevention, remain important and the promising practice is within mātauranga Māori and given the lack of focus in the field, this seems imperative to progress, with whānau being the appropriate unit of intervention.
Please note: The recommendations expressed in this report are derived from those undertaking the evidence synthesis and may not represent the views of Manatū Hauora
