The effects of suicide prevention measures reported through a psychoeducational video: a practice in Japan.
BACKGROUND
As the suicide rate in Japan has remained high since 1998, various suicide prevention measures have been implemented in Japanese local communities.


OBJECTIVE
To report our findings on the effect of a psychoeducational video as a suicide prevention measure in a Japanese rural town.


METHODS
Questionnaires were randomly mailed to 2,000 residents aged between 30 and 79 years. Within 4 weeks, volunteers in the town visited the residents individually and collected the questionnaires. The variables reported in this study are demographics, awareness of suicide prevention measures available in the town, whether the residents watched the video, help-seeking from advisers regarding suicidal ideation and financial problems and attitudes towards suicide.


RESULTS
We analysed data collected from 1,118 people who reported their demographics (i.e. sex, age, and job) and whether they had watched the video. By conducting a series of logistic regression and multiple regression analyses and controlling for demographic variables, we found that watching the video had substantial psychoeducational effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite conducting a cross-sectional study, our new suicide prevention measures were considered effective for psychoeducation. However, further studies using a longitudinal design are needed.
Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan Jsakamoto.shinji@nihon-u.ac.jp.
Shinji
S
Sakamoto
Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.
Eriko
E
Tanaka
Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.
Akiko
A
Kameyama
Faculty of Human Health, Hachinohe Gakuin University, Aomori, Japan.
Tohru
T
Takizawa
Faculty of Human Health, Hachinohe Gakuin University, Aomori, Japan.
Shiho
S
Takizawa
Health and Welfare Section, Nanbu Town Office, Aomori, Japan.
Satoko
S
Fujishima
Health and Welfare Section, Nanbu Town Office, Aomori, Japan.
Mieko
M
Nara
Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aomori University of Health and Welfare, Aomori, Japan.
Tomoe
T
Sakashita
Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aomori University of Health and Welfare, Aomori, Japan.
Hirofumi
H
Oyama
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
Yutaka
Y
Ono
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D014741:Video Recording; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
Attitude; community survey; educational activities; preventive psychiatry; suicide