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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Suicide and suicide prevention

Rural Suicide Prevention: Reviewing the Evidence and Gaps
Cyberseminar discusses current state of suicide prevention for rural veterans. Highlights data, risk and protective factors, and current and potential prevention practices. Details knowledge gaps and makes recommendations for researchers.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Presentation Slides
Author(s): Nate Mohatt
Date: 04/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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VA Health Care: Efforts Needed to Ensure Effective Use and Appropriate Staffing of Suicide Prevention Teams
Report evaluates the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) utilization of suicide prevention teams to prevent suicides among veterans. Evaluation makes recommendations for elevating benchmarks of the program and improving team staffing.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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An Analysis of Suicide Risk Factors among Farmers in the Midwestern United States
Study examining psychological, social, and contextual risk factors for suicide among farmers. Draws data from 600 surveys of agricultural producers in Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and South Dakota. Discusses rates of depression, anxiety, farming-specific stressors, social support, and coping strategies.
Author(s): Andrea Bjornestad, Courtney Cuthbertson, Jessie Hendricks
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3563
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
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Addressing Higher Risk of Suicide Among Farmers in Rural America
Policy brief highlighting factors contributing to the higher risk of suicide among farmers, including financial pressures, social pressures, and access to care. Offers policy recommendations to promote and improve farmers' mental health.
Author(s): Rosalie Eisenreich, Carolyn Pollari
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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The State of State, Territorial, and Tribal Suicide Prevention: Findings from a Web-Based Survey
Details the findings of a web-based survey of coordinators, project directors, and state officials working in suicide prevention on the state of current suicide prevention programs in U.S. states, territories, and tribal nations. Highlights the survey data on prevention planning, prevention readiness and capacity, and barriers and facilitators, among other measures.
Author(s): Katrina S. Kennedy, Andrea Carmichael, Margaret Melissa Brown, et al.
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
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Changes in Suicide Rates — United States, 2018–2019
Reports on changes in counts and age-adjusted suicide rates from 2018 to 2019. Includes data by level of county urbanicity for four levels of metropolitan areas and two nonmetro levels, overall and by sex. Also includes data on suicide mechanism of injury by level of urbanization.
Author(s): Deborah M. Stone, Christopher M. Jones, Karin A. Mack
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(8), 261-268
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
Report details the a comprehensive national strategy for suicide prevention for individuals, families, and communities. Outlines 6 plans of actions to address suicide across the country, such as a broad-based public health response, crisis care and care transitions, and evidence-base care, among other factors.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
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Suicide in the Time of COVID-19: A Perfect Storm
Examines the risk of suicide in rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Looks at suicide rates in Kentucky and nationally and discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic could potentially increase those rates.
Author(s): Sabrina Brown, Donna L. Schuman
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 211-214
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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A Pandemic of Body, Mind, and Spirit: The Burden of "Social Distancing" in Rural Communities During an Era of Heightened Suicide Risk
Discusses the potentially heightened risk of suicide in rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines how decreased access to mental healthcare, economic stress, stigma, and social isolation could increase the risk of suicide in rural areas.
Author(s): Natalie B. Riblet, Susan P. Stevens, Bradley V. Watts, Brian Shiner
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 207-210
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Preventing Suicide in Rural Communities During the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Explores the potentially increased risk of suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of providing mental healthcare. Highlights some of the factors related to COVID-19 that could increase the risk, such as self isolation, access to firearms, and decreased access to healthcare.
Author(s): Lindsey L. Monteith, Ryan Holliday, Talia L. Brown, Lisa A. Brenner, Nathaniel V. Mohatt
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 179-184
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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