European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) offers the most promising method to prevent suicide

A meta-analysis published in September 2022 by an independent group of researchers evaluated 47 international studies examining different approaches to suicide prevention published that were issued between January 2010 and November 2020. The detailed review found that the 4-level intervention concept developed by the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) is the most promising tool for suicide prevention.

Suicide is estimated to account for 1.4% of deaths worldwide, making it one of the leading causes of premature deaths. Most suicides are caused by unrecognised or inadequately treated depression. The four-level intervention concept aims primarily at reducing to reduce the risk of suicide by improving the recognition and care of depression. The review states: „Public health approaches to reduce suicide have the potential to reach individuals across the spectrum of suicide risk.” The 4-level intervention by EAAD wants to promote cooperation for the recognition and treatment of depression at all levels of society.

“Our four-level intervention concept has thus proven to be the most effective method to combat suicide worldwide. I hope that in the future we will be able to apply it even more widely and thus reduce the number of suicides and prevent a lot of suffering through better care for people with depression,” said Prof. Ulrich Hegerl, President of EAAD and Professor at Goethe University in Frankfurt.

Currently, with the launch of the EAAD-Best project, the 4-level intervention is being implemented in four additional countries for the first time, and three more countries it is extended to new regions.

To read the full article, visit the following link:

https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/0227-5910/a000873

Reference: Linskens, E. J., Venables, N. C., Gustavson, A. M., Sayer, N. A., Murdoch, M., MacDonald, R., Ullman, K. E., McKenzie, L. G., Wilt, T. J., & Sultan, S. (2022). Population- and Community-Based Interventions to Prevent Suicide. Crisis https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000873