Projects / Programmes
Alive? Alive! Research and prevention of suicide
January 1, 2017
- December 31, 2021
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.09.00 |
Medical sciences |
Psychiatry |
|
| 5.09.00 |
Social sciences |
Psychology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B650 |
Biomedical sciences |
Psychiatry, clinical psychology, psychosomatics |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.02 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Clinical medicine |
| 5.01 |
Social Sciences |
Psychology and cognitive sciences |
suicide, suicide prevention, interventions, mental health
Researchers (21)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The program Alive?Alive! [English speakers only: Slovene name Živ?Živ! has a positive connotation by resembling a bird chirp; Alive?Alive! is a literal translation of it] is a comprehensive approach including both the prevention of suicide and the innovative ways of researching suicidal behaviour, both important aspects as suicide is one the biggest societal and public health problem in Slovenia. The main goals of the project are reducing suicide rates in Slovenia, contributing to multi-disciplinary and multi-level suicide prevention and to bring a wide range of research methods into suicidology in order to better understand and explain suicidal behaviour.
Implementation of these goals is based on a spectre of interventions in the field of mental health and suicide prevention. (1) Our work in the framework of mental health promotion would include media campaigns for general public and implementation of guidelines for responsible media reporting on suicide. (2) Prevention activities would include activities of universal prevention (implementation of information technology based prevention applications, restricting access to the means of suicide), selective prevention (empowering vulnerable groups, e.g. adolescents, elderly) and indicated prevention (prevention work for recognizing individuals that are at high risk for committing suicide, e.g. educating gatekeepers). In the framework of (3) treatment and (4) maintenance of care we would implement e-supportive solutions for individuals in distress, postvention activities for suicide survivors and MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) program for grown up individuals at risk. Therefore, a wide variety of groups of people with specific needs would be included in the program (general public, vulnerable groups of individuals, people in mental distress, etc.). With the purpose of ensuring high-quality of scientific conclusions we would use the combination of the innovative research methods (spectre of different quantitative and qualitative research methods).
The program will address big needs for more comprehensive and long-term use of multi-level interventions for suicide prevention in our region. At the same time it would enable an opportunity for developing innovative programs and research methods, which are needed in suicidology, and observing the impact of implementing this kind of program in Slovenia. We would therefore gain an opportunity to contribute to the development of science (suicidology), research and prevention of suicidal behaviour in our region and also to the socio-economic development of Slovenia.
Significance for science
The presented programme is of great importance for both national and international public health and development of suicidology. We will integrate the most up-to-date research methods, findings and practical work (interventions); this approach is important for many reasons. With scientific methods (research, evaluation, long-term follow up), we can continuously improve and further develop interventions. We can also monitor the reactions of different target groups to interventions and assess their adequacy. Combination of interventions and research is also reasonable from the ethical perspective, because studying the individuals in distress permits the identification of cases of people needing psycho-social support and help. For the development of suicidology it is crucial that suicide prevention continues to be scientifically monitored and that evaluation of interventions is correctly done and adequately published. This is the only way we can assure that approaches work and that they are not contra-indicated.
With the implementation of the IT interventions we will be able to gather new kinds of data, e.g. the usage of the information technology. For establishing models, we will use a variety of up-to-date statistical methods for analysing quantitative data, gathered through interventions. Besides this, we will use also qualitative research methods, which are still new to suicidology. This is important for development of science, because qualitative methods enable a new dimension of insight into suicidal behaviour, which is impossible to be studied only by quantitative methods. With quantitative research methods in suicidology we can only explain, while we can also try to understand the individual’s act with qualitative methods [6]. Since suicide is always a multifaceted act, explaining it with merely linear causal relations is not enough. All of the above will contribute greatly to the development of suicidology.
Multileveled programme enables adjustment of interventions for different target groups and therefore offers comprehensive programme of mental health promotion and suicidal behaviour prevention, which is of great importance for our region. Implementation of such programme in Slovenia also means outstanding opportunities for observing the development of particular interventions and the impact of the whole programme on a national level. Integrated programme will enable in-depth insight into dynamics of suicidal process as a consequence of interaction between various relevant factors.
With multidisciplinary approaches, combination of different research methods and multileveled interventions, the proposed programme will address current challenges of suicidology. We will strive to widen research guidelines and eliminate taboos associated with suicide behaviour, which will improve current scientific fluency.
[6] Hjelmeland H & Knizek BL (2010). Why we need qualitative research in suicidology. Suicide & Life-Threatening Behaviour, 40(1), 78-80.
Significance for the country
On average, every suicide affects six proxies (‘suicide survivors’) and represents a psycho-social, economic and financial burden for the whole society. The consequences of suicide can therefore be perceived at many levels – there are subjective, immeasurable consequences, felt by the suicide survivors, and objective consequences at the societal level.
The proposed research and intervention-based program has a direct impact on the level of well-being of the inhabitants and also on the economy. Positive impact can be found at different levels: through promotion (mental health promotion among general public, development of IT for promotion); prevention (implementing educational workshops for adolescents and the MBCT program); and treatment and help for individuals or groups with mental health problems or bereaved due to suicide. It is important that all mentioned groups of people receive alternative ways of debriefing or some kind of psycho-social help. Interventions are also important in terms of postvention – working with suicide survivors, because they are a group with high risk for developing different forms of mental illnesses and suicidal behaviour.
In the framework of the planned program, we will directly work with the individuals and target groups, which will result in improving mental health and reducing behaviours that have negative impact on health (e.g. self-harm and suicidal behaviour, substance abuse etc.). Benefits for socio-economic status can also be identified, since better mental health results in lower incidence of physical diseases, healthcare expenses and absenteeism and higher productivity. The programme will also raise awareness of the importance of health, possibilities for active care for inhabitants; reduce costs related to health care activities and help maintaining and improving the quality of services and user satisfaction.
The proposed programme is also important because of the following two socio-economic viewpoints:
RECESSION. In the state of the economic recession it is important to apply preventive activities in order to prevent the suicide rates, which have been declining in the last years, to rise again.
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SUICIDE-RELATED WORK. A number of international studies have shown that preventive programs are efficient if a longer time frame for implementation is provided, if they are a part of the national programs and if they are regularly renewed. With a program that would be implemented in a longer time frame, we would enable this kind of systematic and sustainable preventive work in Slovenia for the first time.
We are gaining new findings that contribute to higher quality of applications in suicidology. Implementation of high-quality and advanced scientific research programmes can raise the reputation of Slovenia as a country that invests in effective solving of one of the biggest public health problems.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2017,
2018,
2019
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2017,
2018,
2019
