A Community-based Depression Screening Intervention for Middle-aged Suicide

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Suicide
• Interventions: Behavioral: Multi-level suicide prevention programs; Behavioral: Suicide prevention program as usual

• Registration Number: NCT02468466
• Lead Sponsor: Aomori University of Health and Welfare

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a community-based depression-screening program for suicide prevention among middle-aged adults, the investigators conducted a quasi-experimental intervention study, using a parallel cluster design with communities at municipal level as the unit of allocation and individuals as the unit of analysis.

Detailed Description

Suicide is a major cause of premature death, particularly among middle-aged adults, in the majority of Western and Asian countries. A strong association of suicide and depression often indicates the necessity of a high-risk approach for suicide prevention. Improvements in identification and treatment can lead to better depression outcomes and suicide prevention. The investigators hypothesize that a 4-year community-based intervention, consisting of universal depression screening and subsequent care support in the target areas and health education programs, would result in reduced suicide rates among the middle-aged adult population in areas with a high suicide rate.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2005-01
• Primary Completion: 2012-12
• Study Completion: 2012-12
• Status Verified: 2015-06
• Study First Submitted: 2015-06-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-06-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-06-09
• Study First Posted: 2015-06-10
• Last Update Posted: 2015-06-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 89700

Inclusion Criteria

• A municipal area located in the following 4 Aomori Second Medical Zones: Hachinohe, Kamitosan, Aomori, and Tsugaru.
• A municipal area with the higher suicide rate than the prefectural average.
• A municipal area having the sufficient and coverable size to serve the intervention (population 10,000-99,999).

Exclusion Criteria

• A municipal area receiving further intervention including a depression screening for middle-aged adults.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Multi-level suicide prevention programs	Multi-level suicide prevention programs	The study team, including staff members from the intervention municipalities, provided each municipality with a standardized form of the work plan used in our study. The intervention municipality autonomously conducted the intervention program during the implementation period.
Community intervention as usual	Suicide prevention program as usual	Suicide prevention program as usual

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in suicide rates among adults aged 40-64 years between the 4-year pre- and implementation periods.	4 years pre versus 4 years post

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Invitation rate in the screening component	4 years post
Participation rate in the screening component	4 years post

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Intervention group; 🇯🇵 Oirase, Aomori, Japan

Control group; 🇯🇵 Towada, Aomori, Japan