Information is crucial: a guide to preventing suicide

Around 700,000 deaths by suicide are recorded worldwide every year, with young people aged between 15 and 29 years old the most heavily affected age group, according to World Health Organization figures. As part of the UOC's initiatives within the framework of the 2024 #TrioLaVida events organized by the Government of Catalonia's Ministry of Health, the Library is launching its guide for  Prevention and awareness of suicidal behaviour.  

This Library guide contains a selection of resources for identifying risk factors and warning signs, and guides for prevention to find out when and how to act and the means of assistance to seek help. It also addresses the importance of promoting mental health and destigmatizing mental illness.

With a broad perspective and an interdisciplinary approach, the Library guide provides academic literature, information materials and practical guides from experts, important institutions and non-profit organizations aimed at addressing suicide prevention in various fields, including education and the workplace. Alba Pérez, a member of the UOC's Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, was involved in the selection of the content.

The Library guide is a valuable resource to ensure that everyone has the essential information at hand: works by leading authors setting out the criteria and knowledge available; guides containing recommendations and good practices to meet specific needs; and useful portals and websites for finding out about different perspectives.

Operative group: 

Alba Pérez, a member of the UOC's Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences

What will you find in it?

Education

It includes guides, training workshops and activities designed to identify and prevent emotional distress in educational institutions. In addition to guidelines for recognizing risk situations and taking preventive action, it also includes content to ensure that students adopt healthy habits for their mental health and emotional well-being.

An example is the Toolkit de salud mental para universitarios that provides guidelines and exercises to deal with anxiety and reduce stress.

Workplace

It provides materials for understanding the relationship between suicide and the work environment, and practical resources for prevention.

These include the study Promoción de la salud mental en las PYMES, which identifies the factors involved in promoting mental health and emotional well-being in organizations.

Detecting and addressing the problem

It provides information aimed at raising awareness related to identifying suicidal thoughts and supporting people at risk, without trivializing the situation.

The SOM Salut Mental project provides a channel for queries through the centres affiliated to the Sant Joan de Déu hospital, and has a team of experts available to answer questions and concerns.

Media

The guide also includes resources for communication professionals, with guidelines for the media on how to address the issue responsibly and effectively. It also provides examples of good practice.

See Recomendaciones para el tratamiento del suicidio por los medios de comunicación, a manual with recommendations and evidence related to suicide, containing guidelines on how and how not to communicate, including examples, and demystifying mistaken beliefs.

The Library guide also includes research projects and centres that are studying the problem and possible interventions, as well as a list of leading organizations and institutions in the field of suicide prevention. 

This guide is a collaborative initiative in which different teams at the UOC participated, contributing their knowledge from various fields. The participating groups were the Health and Safety Service; Alliances, Community and Equity; the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences; the Help Services, and the Library. The Library guide aims to offer a comprehensive approach to suicidal behaviour, raising awareness and improving mental health among the university community and the public in general.