Crisis centers and their role in treatment: suicide prevention versus health promotion.
Suicide is a major health problem. In the industrialized nations, it remains among the 10 leading causes of death. There has been a massive effort to reduce suicide mortality through establishment of prevention centers. These centers have proliferated despite a lack of evidence concerning their efficacy. The development and evaluation of suicide prevention centers, primarily community-based, telephone interventions, are discussed. The evidence regarding the effectiveness of suicide prevention centers and the presence of a causal relationship between exposure to crisis counseling and a reduction in suicide rates is reviewed. Some cautions and recommendations are made. Finally, a model of health promotion program planning and evaluation is examined in the context of suicide prevention.
Institute of Health Promotion Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
C J
CJ
Frankish
D002170:Canada; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D006801:Humans; D000092864:Suicide Prevention