Evaluation of suicide prevention activities

5.2 Project approaches

Page last updated: January 2014

The NSPP-funded activities spanned the three major suicide prevention approaches: universal, selective and indicated. Universal approaches can be applied to a whole population or community; selective approaches can be applied to a sub-group known to be at increased risk while indicated measures target individuals who are at high risk.36

As shown in the following Table 5-1, selective approaches were the most common approach reported, with 72% of projects identifying this approach.

Many projects adopted multiple approaches, as illustrated in the following Figure 5-2:

  • Four (8%) of the 50 projects adopted all three approaches
  • Eighteen (7+11), ie, 36% adopted two approaches
  • Twenty-eight (4+10+14), ie, 56% adopted a single approach.

    Table 5-1: Project approach (n=50)

    Approach
    Projects
    %
    Universal
    21
    42
    Selective
    36
    72
    Indicated
    19
    38

    Figure 5-2: Overlap of project approaches (n=50)

Refer to the following text for a text equivalent of Figure 5-2: Overlap of project approaches

Text version of figure 5-2

10 projects adopted only a universal approach.
14 projects adopted only a selective approach.
4 projects adopted only an indicated approach.
7 projects adopted both universal and selective approaches.
11 projects adopted both selective and indicated approaches.
4 projects adopted all three approaches - universal, selective and indicated.

36 DoHA, LIFE Framework, p.18.