Saini, P.; Chopra, J.; Hanlon, C.A.; Boland, J.E. A Case Series Study of Help-Seeking among Younger and Older Men in Suicidal Crisis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2021, 18, 7319.
Saini, P.; Chopra, J.; Hanlon, C.A.; Boland, J.E. A Case Series Study of Help-Seeking among Younger and Older Men in Suicidal Crisis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 7319.
Saini, P.; Chopra, J.; Hanlon, C.A.; Boland, J.E. A Case Series Study of Help-Seeking among Younger and Older Men in Suicidal Crisis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2021, 18, 7319.
Saini, P.; Chopra, J.; Hanlon, C.A.; Boland, J.E. A Case Series Study of Help-Seeking among Younger and Older Men in Suicidal Crisis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 7319.
Abstract
Due to the continuing high suicide rates among young men, there is a need to understand help-seeking behaviour and engagement with tailored suicide prevention interventions. The aim of this study was to compare help-seeking among younger and older men who attended a therapeutic centre for men in a suicidal crisis. In this case series study, data were collected from 546 men who were referred into a community-based therapeutic service in North West England. Of the 546 men, 337 (52%) received therapy; 161 (48%) were aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age 24 years, SD=3.4). Analyses included baseline differences, symptom trajectories for the CORE-34 Clinical Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) and engagement with the therapy. For the CORE-OM there was a clinically significant reduction in mean scores between assessment and discharge (p<0.001) for both younger and older men. At initial assessment, younger men were less affected by entrapment (46% v 62%; p=.02), defeat (33% v 52%; p=.01), not engaging in new goals (38% v 47%; p=.02), and positive attitudes towards suicide (14% v 18%; p=.001) than older men. At discharge assessment, older men were significantly more likely to have an absence of positive future thinking (15% v 8%; p=0.03), have less social support (45% v 33%; p=.02) and feelings of entrapment (17% v 14%; p=.02) than younger men. Future research needs to assess the long-term effects of help-seeking using a brief psychological intervention for young men in order to understand whether the effects of the therapy are sustainable over a period of time following discharge from the service.
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