Preventing repetition of attempted suicide—III. The Amager Project, 5-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. (2nd October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lahoz, Titia; Hvid, Marianne; Wang, August G.
• Is Part Of: Nordic journal of psychiatry. Volume 70:Number 7(2016)
• Page Start: 547
• Page End: 553
• Publication Date: 2016-10-02
• Subjects: Suicide -- prevention -- follow-up -- randomized controlled trial -- effectiveness research; Psychopharmacology -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2016.1180711
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0803-9488

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The Amager Project was initiated as a quasi-experimental study in 2005, based on an active outreach suicide preventive intervention inspired by the Norwegian Baerum Model. A 1-year follow-up study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial showing that this kind of active outreach to suicide attempters had a significant preventive effect on the prevalence of suicide attempts and significantly reduced the number of patients repeating a suicide attempt. Aims: In this 5-year RCT follow-up the aim was to investigate the sustainability of the suicide preventive effect shown in a 1-year follow-up study. Method: One hundred and thirty-three suicide attempters were included at this 5-year follow-up RCT study at Copenhagen University Hospital, Amager, and randomized to a rapid outreach suicide preventive intervention (OPAC) or TAU. Results: Offering OPAC intervention to patients after a suicide attempt has a significant preventive effect on the total of suicide attempts and significantly reduces the number of patients repeating a suicide attempt. The suicide preventive effect lasts up to 265 weeks. After 3–4 years the effect on the number of patients repeating a suicide attempt is no longer sustainable, while the effect on the number of repetitive events remains significant. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of a rapid and active outreach intervention and points out that the effect on the number of patients repeating a suicide attempt wears off and is no longer sustainable after 3–4 years, suggesting the need for a follow-up intervention.