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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Do suicide prevention organizations reduce death rates?

By Lisa Freedland
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YES

While suicide prevention programs have been effective in reducing death rates, this impact has varied depending on one's age and sex.

A 2019 study analyzing the effectiveness of such programs across four comparable countries over the past 30 years found declines in suicide rates in men in particular, likely due to reduced access to firearms. Programs had the strongest deterrent effects on men aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 64. The study also found a significant deterrent effect in females aged 45 to 64 and older than 65.

A 2016 survey of 1797 studies related to suicide prevention similarly found that programs help reduce suicide rates. Effective strategies include reducing access to lethal means, establishing suicide prevention hotlines, providing quality mental health counseling, raising awareness in schools and administrating psychiatric medicine.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
BMC Psychiatry Are national suicide prevention programs effective? A comparison of 4 verum and 4 control countries over 30 years
The Lancet Suicide prevention strategies revisited: 10-year systematic review
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.