Suicide prevention programs through community intervention

Broad general community campaigns were developed to reduce suicide rates. The aim of the current paper was to review such studies in the literature. The MEDLINE search using a combination of the keywords ‘suicide’, ‘education’/‘psychoeducation’ and ‘community’ updated through January 10th 2010, returned 424 references and relevant for the current review were 48 with 14 papers reporting results. Although suicide prevention programs through community education are widespread, the reporting of their efficacy is limited. It seems that only long term programs that utilize a commitment of the society at multiple levels and succeed in establishing a community support network that can effectively reduce suicidal rates. The success of most interventions in changing the attitudes and improving the knowledge of the public concerning suicide is restricted at the theoretical–intellectual level; when it comes to action there seems to be no change. Very short duration interventions don’t seem to have even this slight effect.