Project Duration
March 2014 - March 2015
Funder
Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group
Project Staff
- Dr Maria Michail 1
- Dr Lynda Tait
- Charlotte Reading
Staff Institutions
- The University of Nottingham
Aims
The aim of the proposed work is to develop an educational intervention for GPs in identifying and managing suicide risk in young people aged 14-24 years.
Background
Suicide is a major public health problem and among the top three causes of death in young people (WHO, 2000). Apart from the apparent societal consequences, the economic impacts of suicide are profound with the average cost per completed suicide in England reaching £1.67m (Knapp et al, 2011). Youth suicide prevention is a key public health target and national strategies have highlighted the importance of the early identification, assessment and management of at-risk young people.
Primary care presents an appropriate pathway for the identification and management of suicide risk as 45% of those committing suicide, including young adults, contact their GP in the month before their death (Luoma et al, 2002). However, evidence shows (Gunnell, 1994; Hider 1998; Stevens et al, 2008; Taliafero et al, 2012) that suicide risk factors in young people (e.g. depression) go unidentified and unmanaged by GPs. Providing GPs with adequate training and education is expected to lead to increased identification of those at-risk (Saini et al, 2010; Younes et al, 2013) which has the potential to be cost-effective if it leads to adequate subsequent treatment and to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
Methods
The development of the educational intervention will be based on the Medical Research Council guidelines for complex interventions (2008) and would involve a) a systematic review and b) stakeholder consultations (GP focus groups and interviews with young people and their families) to ensure that the intervention is responsive to perceived need, is based on best available evidence and works within existing services.
The proposed work will support the development of an NIHR PfPB application to undertake a feasibility study for a stratified-cluster (clustered at practiced level) randomised controlled trial (educational intervention vs. treatment us usual/control) to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the educational intervention for GPs in identifying and managing suicide risk in young people.
Stage of Development
This is a current project.