Authors' objectives:

This review was commissioned by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and was designed to assist with the preparation of guidelines for primary care practitioners. The main aims were to assess the literature describing the epidemiology and main risk factors for suicidal behaviour among young people along with a review of the evidence for the recognition, management and prevention of adolescent suicidal behaviour by primary care practitioners.

Authors' recommendations: Primary care practitioners have an important role in the prevention of suicidal behaviour among young people in New Zealand. This report has reviewed the important epidemiological trends in suicidal deaths, attempted suicide and suicidal ideation among young people in New Zealand. A model was developed that presented the risk factors for suicidal behaviour as a group of six inter-related domains. The presence of psychopathology was found to be the most important risk factor for suicidal behaviour among young people. Other important risk factor domains included socio-demographic factors, family characteristics and environmental factors. The second part of the report developed from these risk factors a number of strategies to assist the practitioner with the recognition, management and prevention of suicidal behaviour among young people. The key to recognition was an awareness of the main risk factors for suicidal behaviour coupled with the use of a series of direct questions to gauge the presence and extent of suicidal intent in a young person. Important tasks in management included a need to establish a close rapport and the careful assessment of which young people should be referred for specialist inpatient or outpatient care. A number of interventions were described to prevent suicidal behaviour either among groups of usually healthy young people or specific treatments that could be used for young people at high-risk of suicide. Other important components of a treatment plan included the provision of support and problem solving skills, reducing environmental stresses, and restricting the availability of lethal means of suicide.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://nzhta.chmeds.ac.nz/publications.htm

Year Published: 1998

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: New Zealand

Organisation Name: New Zealand Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: Department of Public Health and General Practice, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. Tel: +64 3 364 1145; Fax: +64 3 364 1152;

Contact Name: nzhta@chmeds.ac.nz

Contact Email: nzhta@chmeds.ac.nz

Copyright: New Zealand Health Technology Assessment