Community-based surveillance and case management for suicide prevention: an American Indian tribally initiated system

Am J Public Health. 2014 Jun;104 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):e18-23. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301872. Epub 2014 Apr 22.

Abstract

The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention highlights the importance of improving the timeliness, usefulness, and quality of national suicide surveillance systems, and expanding local capacity to collect relevant data. This article describes the background, methods, process data, and implications from the first-of-its-kind community-based surveillance system for suicidal and self-injurious behavior developed by the White Mountain Apache Tribe with assistance from Johns Hopkins University. The system enables local, detailed, and real-time data collection beyond clinical settings, with in-person follow-up to facilitate connections to care. Total reporting and the proportion of individuals seeking treatment have increased over time, suggesting that this innovative surveillance system is feasible, useful, and serves as a model for other communities and the field of suicide prevention.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Arizona
  • Case Management*
  • Data Collection
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Indians, North American*
  • Male
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Risk Factors
  • Suicide / statistics & numerical data
  • Suicide Prevention*