Research priorities in suicide prevention: A qualitative study of stakeholders’ views
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Author(s)
Niner, Sara
Pirkis, Jane
Krysinska, Karolina
Robinson, Jo
Dudley, Michael
Schindeler, Emily
De Leo, Diego
Warr, Deborah
Year published
2009
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The current study sought to inform priority setting in Australian suicide prevention research, by seeking stakeholders' views on where future priorities might lie. Three group interviews were conducted with a total of 28 participants. Group interview participants stressed that priority should be given to evaluating the efficacy of specific interventions and examining the response of the health and community service systems. They felt that the epidemiological profile of suicidal individuals had been explored, at least with respect to rates and individual-level risk factors, and that the above evaluative activities should focus ...
View more >The current study sought to inform priority setting in Australian suicide prevention research, by seeking stakeholders' views on where future priorities might lie. Three group interviews were conducted with a total of 28 participants. Group interview participants stressed that priority should be given to evaluating the efficacy of specific interventions and examining the response of the health and community service systems. They felt that the epidemiological profile of suicidal individuals had been explored, at least with respect to rates and individual-level risk factors, and that the above evaluative activities should focus on groups identified as having particularly high levels of risk. Most saw limited value in continuing to explore individual-level risk factors ad infinitum, and felt that the time had come to move on to considering wider societal influences on suicide and individual-level protective factors. Many felt that evaluation efforts should employ mixed methods, should be multidisciplinary and should be relevant to the Australian context. They also argued that there was scope for increasing the utility of research findings by communicating them in a manner that would enable them to be utilised by policy-makers, planners and practitioners. Several called for a more cohesive framework for suicide prevention that could guide suicide prevention research. The current study provides some guidance with respect to the direction Australia's suicide prevention research agenda should take. A priority-driven approach to suicide prevention research will ensure that the research endeavour provides the most useful information for those whose day-to-day work involves trying to prevent suicide.
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View more >The current study sought to inform priority setting in Australian suicide prevention research, by seeking stakeholders' views on where future priorities might lie. Three group interviews were conducted with a total of 28 participants. Group interview participants stressed that priority should be given to evaluating the efficacy of specific interventions and examining the response of the health and community service systems. They felt that the epidemiological profile of suicidal individuals had been explored, at least with respect to rates and individual-level risk factors, and that the above evaluative activities should focus on groups identified as having particularly high levels of risk. Most saw limited value in continuing to explore individual-level risk factors ad infinitum, and felt that the time had come to move on to considering wider societal influences on suicide and individual-level protective factors. Many felt that evaluation efforts should employ mixed methods, should be multidisciplinary and should be relevant to the Australian context. They also argued that there was scope for increasing the utility of research findings by communicating them in a manner that would enable them to be utilised by policy-makers, planners and practitioners. Several called for a more cohesive framework for suicide prevention that could guide suicide prevention research. The current study provides some guidance with respect to the direction Australia's suicide prevention research agenda should take. A priority-driven approach to suicide prevention research will ensure that the research endeavour provides the most useful information for those whose day-to-day work involves trying to prevent suicide.
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Journal Title
Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH)
Volume
8
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2009 Auseinet. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Use hypertext link to access the publisher's website.
Subject
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified
Clinical Sciences
Public Health and Health Services
Psychology