Informing policy and practice around prevention of self-harm, suicide ideation and death by suicide
Categories: ADR Northern Ireland, Health & wellbeing, Impact, Policy, Practice
11 November 2024
As part of the ADR UK Annual Report 2023 - 2024, we gathered examples of impactful work from across the ADR UK partnership. This case study describes the public good outcomes of an ADR Northern Ireland project focused on informing policy and practice around prevention of self-harm, suicide ideation and death by suicide. To read more stories of impact, visit the impact section of the annual report.
To prevent any disease or cause of death, we first have to understand the biggest risk factors for that outcome and which populations are most at risk. This allows policymakers and practitioners to target public health interventions. While it is nearly impossible to predict who will sadly take their own life, there are some factors that indicate higher risk for death by suicide, the strongest of which is previous instances of self-harm or attempted suicide. ADR Northern Ireland research using linked administrative data has generated new insights, used to inform a review of a government suicide prevention strategy.
The Northern Ireland Registry of Self-Harm (NIRSH) – the only one of its kind in the world – puts Northern Ireland at a distinct advantage in using data to better understand, and hopefully prevent, death by suicide. ADR NI researchers have been linking the de-identified, population-wide NIRSH data with other administrative sources of health data and mortality data to improve understanding of self-harm, suicide ideation and death by suicide in Northern Ireland.
Findings from this study are informing an internal Department of Health review into the Protect Life 2 Suicide Prevention Strategy. The research has provided recommendations not only for service intervention to reduce rates of death by suicide, but for investment in the NIRSH itself.
The researchers presented to the All-Party Group on Suicide Prevention at the Northern Ireland Assembly in January 2024. Following this presentation, a letter was written by Members of the Legislative Assembly to the Minister for Health, regarding investing in and making use of the NIRSH in understanding and preventing suicide and self-harm.
Findings have also highlighted a gap in national clinical guidelines on how to respond to self-harm/suicide ideation in hospital emergency departments. Current PhD research will attempt to utilise data on presentations at emergency departments and subsequent repeat instances or mortality to evaluate the impact of some interventions, with results expected in 2025.
To find out more about developments across ADR UK this year:
