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Cited by 211Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesMental Health Treatment and AccessPsychiatric care and mental health services

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 47 of the 47 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Letters, green cards, telephone calls and postcards: systematic and meta-analytic review of brief contact interventions for reducing self-harm, suicide attempts and suicide.

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Milner, Allison J., Carter, Greg, Pirkis, Jane, Robinson, Jo, Spittal, Matthew J.·2015·British Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.147819
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in brief contact interventions for self-harm and suicide attempt. AIMS: To synthesise the evidence regarding the effectiveness of brief contact interventions for reducing self-harm, suicide attempt and suicide. METHOD: A systematic review and random-effects meta-analyses were conducted of randomised controlled trials using brief contact interventions (telephone contacts; emergency or crisis cards; and postcard or letter contacts). Several sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine study quality and subgroup effects. RESULTS: We found 14 eligible studies overall, of which 12 were amenable to meta-analyses. For any subsequent episode of self-harm or suicide attempt, there was a non-significant reduction in the overall pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.87 (95% CI 0.74-1.04, P = 0119) for intervention compared with control. The number of repetitions per person was significantly reduced in intervention v. control (incidence rate ratio IRR = 066, 95% CI 0.54-0.80, P<0001). There was no significant reduction in the odds of suicide in intervention compared with control (OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.24-1.38). CONCLUSIONS: A non-significant positive effect on repeated self-harm, suicide attempt and suicide and a significant effect on the number of episodes of repeated self-harm or suicide attempts per person (based on only three studies) means that brief contact interventions cannot yet be recommended for widespread clinical implementation. We recommend further assessment of possible benefits in well-designed trials in clinical populations.

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. 2012, Self-Harm: Longer-Term Management. National Clinical Guideline Number 133
  2. van Heerihgen, 1992, The management of non-compliance with outpatient after-care in suicide attempters: a review, Ital J Suicidol, 2, 79

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Metadata

Authors
Milner, A. J., Carter, G., Pirkis, J., Robinson, J., & Spittal, M. J.
Affiliations
The University of Melbourne (AU)
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Published
2015-03
Volume
206
Issue
3
Pages
184-190
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
DOI
10.1192/bjp.bp.114.147819
OpenAlex
W2123846655
Cited by
211
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 6
FWCI
3.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 1038 d)
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (546248)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
Keywords
self-harm, suicide attempts, suicide prevention, telephone-delivered intervention, postcards, intervention effectiveness
MeSH terms
Suicide Prevention, Humans, Postal Service, Psychotherapy, Brief, Suicide, Attempted, Telephone, Self-Injurious Behavior

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