Suicide Prevention - Unified Research; Developing capacity for community engaged suicide prevention research in Colorado

Context: Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. Colorado has the seventh highest suicide rate in the US, and rates continue to climb. Suicide prevention research ranked highest amongst all stakeholder groups in PBRN-related topic generating activities.

Objective: Funding was obtained to convene stakeholders interested in suicide prevention research in large groups as well as through a seminar series designed to increase interest in and capacity for practice and community-based research.

Study design and analysis: Community engagement.

Setting and Population: Multiple stakeholders from western Colorado including loss survivors, staff from primary care practices, public health departments, health systems and community-based organizations participated in two large group convenings (n=48 and n=35) and a six-month small group research seminar series (n=10).

Intervention: Two virtual large group convenings were held in March and November 2021, consisting of presentations by researchers and break-out sessions to discuss possible community and practice-based research-related approaches to the high suicide rate in western Colorado. A research seminar series was held consisting of monthly meetings (April – October 2021). Researchers with expertise in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention presented their work and participants also presented the work of their organizations and indicated where further data collection or research may improve their understanding or outcomes.

Outcomes/Results: Through this work, a network of engaged community and practice-based partners was developed to advance comprehensive practice-based research on suicide prevention in western Colorado. This work also resulted in a community driven research agenda identifying: the relationship of social determinants of health and substance use in suicidality; sleep and suicidality; and lived experience/survivorship as priority topics. An example of a specific question that arose from this engagement work is “How can we address sleep issues AND suicidality in primary care (i.e. why aren’t sleep concerns assessed and addressed as a way of reducing distress that leads to mental illness and suicide?)”.

Conclusions: Thoughtful community engagement takes time and support, but in this case, resulted in a clear research agenda that is responsive to stakeholder interests and involves stakeholders as equal research partners.