Suicide Prevention Algorithm in the French Overseas Territories

Overview

In France, suicide behaviours are a major public health concern that triggered the creation in 2013 of a National Observatory of Suicide. In continental France, the "Algos" protocol was found to be effective for the prevention of suicide attempts reiterations. This protocol is based on a procedure that keeps telephone and postal contacts with the suicide attempter and allows, via an algorithm, to assess the risk of suicide attempt recurrence, in order to intervene if necessary. Nevertheless, Algos does not involve primary care health practitioners, who could add a substantial additional efficacy, especially if they intervene downstream and in supplement to Algos. In addition, this kind of protocol has never been evaluated in the French overseas territories.

Since (1) Algos was never implemented in the French overseas departments (FOD) and does not involve primary care practitioners (PCP), (2) the additional effect of PCP involvement over and beyond Algos alone in unknown, and (3) little research on suicide behaviours has been conducted in the FOD, this proposal has the following main aim: to assess the effectiveness and the efficacy of the intervention, in supplement and downstream to Algos, of a healthcare professional, on the recurrence of suicide attempts in the FOD; the healthcare professional will be the patient's general practitioner, whenever possible.

Conditions