How to Decrease Suicide Rates in Both Genders? An Effectiveness Study of a Community-Based Intervention (EAAD)

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dc.contributor.authorSzékely, András
dc.contributor.authorKonkoly-Thege, Barna
dc.contributor.authorMergl, Roland
dc.contributor.authorBirkás, Emma
dc.contributor.authorRózsa, Sándor
dc.contributor.authorPurebl, György
dc.contributor.authorHegerl, Ulrich
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-19T17:55:18Z
dc.date.available2015-03-19T17:55:18Z
dc.date.issued2013-09-23
dc.descriptionArticle deposited according to PLoS ONE license agreement http://www.plosone.org/static/license March 19, 2015.en_US
dc.description.abstractBackground The suicide rate in Hungary is high in international comparison. The two-year community-based four-level intervention programme of the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) is designed to improve the care of depression and to prevent suicidal behaviour. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a regional community-based four-level suicide prevention programme on suicide rates. Method The EAAD programme was implemented in Szolnok (population 76,311), a town in a region of Hungary with an exceptionally high suicide rate. Effectiveness was assessed by comparing changes in suicide rates in the intervention region after the intervention started with changes in national suicide rates and those in a control region (Szeged) in the corresponding period. Results For the duration of the programme and the follow-up year, suicide rates in Szolnok were significantly lower than the average of the previous three years (p = .0076). The suicide rate thus went down from 30.1 per 100,000 in 2004 to 13.2 in 2005 (−56.1 %), 14.6 in 2006 (−51.4 %) and 12.0 in 2007 (−60.1 %). This decrease of annual suicide rates in Szolnok after the onset of the intervention was significantly stronger than that observed in the whole country (p = .017) and in the control region (p = .0015). Men had the same decrease in suicide rates as women. As secondary outcome, an increase of emergency calls to the hotline service (200%) and outpatient visits at the local psychiatry clinic (76%) was found. Conclusions These results seem to provide further support for the effectiveness of the EAAD concept. Whilst the majority of suicide prevention programs mainly affect female suicidal behaviour, this programme seems to be beneficial for both sexes. The sustainability and the role of the mediating factors (social service and health care utilization, community attitudes about suicide) should be key points in future research.en_US
dc.identifier.citationSzékely, A., Konkolÿ Thege, B., Mergl, R., Birkás, E., Rózsa, S., Purebl, G., & Hegerl, U. (2013). How to Decrease Suicide Rates in Both Genders? An Effectiveness Study of a Community-Based Intervention (EAAD). PLoS ONE, 8(9), e75081. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0075081en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/10096
dc.identifier.urihttp://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/50374
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherPLoS ONEen_US
dc.publisher.corporateUniversity of Calgaryen_US
dc.subjectSuicideen_US
dc.subjectDepressionen_US
dc.subjectHungaryen_US
dc.subjectCommunity-based interventionen_US
dc.subjectDeath ratesen_US
dc.subjectOutpatientsen_US
dc.subjectBehavioren_US
dc.titleHow to Decrease Suicide Rates in Both Genders? An Effectiveness Study of a Community-Based Intervention (EAAD)en_US
dc.typejournal article
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychologyen_US
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