Systematic review of research on railway and urban transit system suicides

Journal of Affective Disorders
Brian Mishara, Cécile Bardon

Abstract

We critically review research on railway suicides to inform suicide prevention initiatives and future studies, including who is at risk and why, and behaviours at track locations. Literature was identified from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and our documentation centre, and contacting 71 railway companies, resulting in 716 articles and eight unpublished reports, with 94 having empirical data on 55 unique studies. Research quality was critically assessed. The quality of studies varies greatly with frequent shortcomings: no justification of sample size, lacking information on the reliability and validity of measures, no explanation nor theoretical understanding of findings. Railway suicides resemble closely people who use other methods, although they tend to be younger. As with other suicide methods, mental health problems are likely to be present. Railway suicide attempters usually die, but most urban transportation systems attempters survive. Railway suicides are rarely impulsive; people usually go to the railway for the purpose of killing themselves. Hotspots have been the focus of some prevention measures. We know little about why people choose railway suicide, but studies of survivors suggest they often thought they...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 28, 2016·Revista de psiquiatrí́a y salud mental·Eneko BarberíaAina Estarellas
Oct 13, 2016·International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion·Grigore M HavârneanuAnne Silla
Sep 5, 2019·International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion·Shirley GregorIbrahim Radwan
Apr 10, 2019·Journal of Trauma & Dissociation : the Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD)·Giancarlo GiupponiHans-Peter Kapfhammer
Sep 27, 2018·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Mathieu StraleKarl Andriessen
Jan 4, 2021·Journal of Affective Disorders·Keith HawtonDeborah Casey
Aug 25, 2021·Crisis·Keely S E Duddin, Benjamin Raynes

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