October 2003

The Science of Public Health Messages for Suicide Prevention: A Workshop Summary

With the launch of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention in 2001, the U.S. government identified reduction in suicide as a high priority public health issue. In response, suicide prevention groups, as well as federal and state programs, have launched public messaging campaigns designed to increase awareness that suicide is preventable. However, few of these initiatives have empirically tested whether, by what mechanisms, and in what contexts these campaigns reduce the incidence of attempted or completed suicide. Of particular concern is the apparent lack of adherence by these campaigns recommendations for reducing the risk of suicidal contagion (i.e. avoiding the normalization of suicide and the idealization of individuals who have died by suicide). The lack of empirical evidence on effective suicide prevention messaging campaigns is a barrier to the development of safe and effective ways to advance and implement a successful, comprehensive suicide reduction effort.