A Public Health Approach in Responding to the Spread of Helium Suicide in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND
The use of the helium suicide method has been increasing in popularity in Hong Kong since 2012. We have learned a valuable lesson in curbing the spread of charcoal burning (CB) suicide in the past 15 years and hope to prevent the helium suicide method from taking off in the community.


OBJECTIVE
To document what actions have been taken to contain the spread of the helium suicide method and review the preliminary impact of these actions.


METHODS
We adopted a public health approach by engaging stakeholders from multiple sectors, including the police force, the fire services department, coroners, pathologists, mass media, and online media outlets.


RESULTS
A monitoring system was established by compiling data extracted from news reports, coroners' reports, and police investigations. Risk and protective factors were identified. Intervention strategies were developed to strengthen protective factors and minimize risk factors. This novel suicide method has not spread as rapidly as the CB suicide method. The preliminary outcomes suggest our actions to be effective.


CONCLUSIONS
The count of helium suicides in 2015 might be low. The impacts of the interventions are only estimated and require additional empirical verifications.


CONCLUSIONS
The public health approach of engaging multiple partners in the early phase of a potential epidemic can be a good guide to meeting the challenges posed by any new suicide methods that emerge in the future.
1 HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.|2 Social Work Department, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Paul S F
PSF
Yip
1 HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Qijin
Q
Cheng
3 Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences and Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Shu-Sen
SS
Chang
1 HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Esther Sze Tsai
EST
Lee
1 HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Chui-Shan Carmen
CC
Lai
4 School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
Feng
F
Chen
5 Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Yik-Wa Frances
YF
Law
6 Hong Kong Police College, SAR.
T M Eric
TME
Cheng
6 Hong Kong Police College, SAR.
Sau Mee
SM
Chiu
6 Hong Kong Police College, SAR.
Y L Jeff
YLJ
Tse
7 Hong Kong Fire Services Department, SAR.
Ka-Wai Raymond
KR
Cheung
8 Hong Kong Poison Information Centre, Hospital Authority, SAR.
Man-Li
ML
Tse
9 Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Peter R
PR
Morgan
10 Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, SAR.
Philip
P
Beh
D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006371:Helium / Q000633:toxicity*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008402:Mass Media; D065840:Protective Factors; D011634:Public Health; D066308:Public Service Announcements as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
D006371:Helium
Hong Kong; helium suicide; public health approach