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The effects on suicide rates of an educational intervention for front-line health professionals with suicidal patients (the STORM Project)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2005

RICHARD MORRISS ,
LINDA GASK ,
ROGER WEBB ,
CLARE DIXON  and
LOUIS APPLEBY
RICHARD MORRISS
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
LINDA GASK
Affiliation:
School of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
ROGER WEBB
Affiliation:
School of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
CLARE DIXON
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, UK
LOUIS APPLEBY
Affiliation:
School of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Abstract

Background. The opportunity to study district-wide educational interventions on suicide rates is rarely available. In 1997, the authors carried out a district-wide training programme for primary care, accident and emergency, and mental health workers (47% of eligible staff trained), and demonstrated improvements in skills, attitude and confidence among the recipients of the training.

Method. Suicide rates (including definite suicides and undetermined deaths) and population statistics were collected for a district and region of England from official sources from 1993–2001. A before-and-after (1994–1996 and 1998–2000) training intervention analysis was conducted on suicide rates.

Results. The suicide rate in 1994–1996 was 8·8 per 100000 before our educational intervention and unchanged at 8·6 per 100000 in 1998–2000 after it (p=0·783).

Conclusion. Brief educational interventions to improve the assessment and management of suicide for front-line health professionals in contact with suicidal patients may not be sufficient to reduce the population suicide rate.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 35 , Issue 7 , July 2005 , pp. 957 - 960
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press

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