Are we using the right evidence to inform suicide prevention in low- and middle-income countries? An umbrella review
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Objective
Suicide disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries and evidence regarding prevention approaches developed in high income countries may not be applicable in these settings. We conducted an umbrella review to assess whether the conclusions of suicide prevention systematic reviews accurately reflect the studies contained within those reviews in terms of setting generalizability.
Methods
We conducted database searches in PubMed/Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, PsychExtra, OVID global health, and LILACS/BECS. We included systematic reviews with the outcome of suicide, including bereavement studies where suicide death was also the exposure.
Results
Out of the 147 reviews assessed, we found that over 80% of systematic reviews on suicide deaths do not provide an accurate summary of review findings with relation to geographic relevance and ultimately generalizability.
Conclusion
Systematic reviews are often the resource used by practitioners and policymakers to guide services. Misleading reviews can detrimentally impact suicide prevention efforts in LMICs. We call for systematic reviewers to be responsible when generalizing the findings of their reviews particularly in the abstracts.
Suicide disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries and evidence regarding prevention approaches developed in high income countries may not be applicable in these settings. We conducted an umbrella review to assess whether the conclusions of suicide prevention systematic reviews accurately reflect the studies contained within those reviews in terms of setting generalizability.
Methods
We conducted database searches in PubMed/Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, PsychExtra, OVID global health, and LILACS/BECS. We included systematic reviews with the outcome of suicide, including bereavement studies where suicide death was also the exposure.
Results
Out of the 147 reviews assessed, we found that over 80% of systematic reviews on suicide deaths do not provide an accurate summary of review findings with relation to geographic relevance and ultimately generalizability.
Conclusion
Systematic reviews are often the resource used by practitioners and policymakers to guide services. Misleading reviews can detrimentally impact suicide prevention efforts in LMICs. We call for systematic reviewers to be responsible when generalizing the findings of their reviews particularly in the abstracts.
Date Issued
2025-01-02
Date Acceptance
2025-01-01
Citation
Archives of Suicide Research, 2025, 29 (1), pp.290-308
ISSN
1381-1118
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Start Page
290
End Page
308
Journal / Book Title
Archives of Suicide Research
Volume
29
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2024-03-13