IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i9p5313-d803483.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Quantitative Methods to Detect Suicide and Self-Harm Clusters: A Systematic Review

Author

Listed:
  • Ruth Benson

    (School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
    National Suicide Research Foundation, University College Cork, 4.28 Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland)

  • Jan Rigby

    (National Centre for Geocomputation, Maynooth University, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Ireland)

  • Christopher Brunsdon

    (National Centre for Geocomputation, Maynooth University, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Ireland)

  • Grace Cully

    (School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
    National Suicide Research Foundation, University College Cork, 4.28 Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland)

  • Lay San Too

    (Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3053, Australia)

  • Ella Arensman

    (School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
    National Suicide Research Foundation, University College Cork, 4.28 Western Gateway Building, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
    Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4122, Australia)

Abstract

Suicide and self-harm clusters exist in various forms, including point, mass, and echo clusters. The early identification of clusters is important to mitigate contagion and allocate timely interventions. A systematic review was conducted to synthesize existing evidence of quantitative analyses of suicide and self-harm clusters. Electronic databases including Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from date of inception to December 2020 for studies that statistically analyzed the presence of suicide or self-harm clusters. Extracted data were narratively synthesized due to heterogeneity among the statistical methods applied. Of 7268 identified studies, 79 were eligible for narrative synthesis. Most studies quantitatively verified the presence of suicide and self-harm clusters based on the scale of the data and type of cluster. A Poisson-based scan statistical model was found to be effective in accurately detecting point and echo clusters. Mass clusters are typically detected by a time-series regression model, although limitations exist. Recently, the statistical analysis of suicide and self-harm clusters has progressed due to advances in quantitative methods and geospatial analytical techniques, most notably spatial scanning software. The application of such techniques to real-time surveillance data could effectively detect emerging clusters and provide timely intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruth Benson & Jan Rigby & Christopher Brunsdon & Grace Cully & Lay San Too & Ella Arensman, 2022. "Quantitative Methods to Detect Suicide and Self-Harm Clusters: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5313-:d:803483
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5313/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5313/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gould, M.S. & Wallenstein, S. & Kleinman, M.H. & O'Carroll, P. & Mercy, J., 1990. "Suicide clusters: An examination of age-specific effects," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 80(2), pages 211-212.
    2. Lersch, Kim M., 2020. "Exploring the geography of suicide threats and suicide attempts: An application of Risk Terrain Modeling," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    3. Martin Kulldorff, 2001. "Prospective time periodic geographical disease surveillance using a scan statistic," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 164(1), pages 61-72.
    4. Makoto Tomita & Takafumi Kubota & Fumio Ishioka, 2015. "Spatial Clustering Properties in the Temporal Variation of Suicide Rates/Numbers among Japanese Citizens: A Comprehensive Comparison and Discussion," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(7), pages 1-11, July.
    5. Hsu, Chia-Yueh & Chang, Shu-Sen & Lee, Esther S.T. & Yip, Paul S.F., 2015. "“Geography of suicide in Hong Kong: Spatial patterning, and socioeconomic correlates and inequalities”," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 190-203.
    6. Hill, Nicole & Too, Lay San & Spittal, Matt & Robinson, Jo, 2020. "Suicide clusters in Australian youth: A comparison of cluster detection methods," SocArXiv a6q3p, Center for Open Science.
    7. Daniel Hideki Bando & Ligia Vizeu Barrozo & Fernando Madalena Volpe, 2020. "Geographical clusters and social risk factors for suicide in the city of São Paulo, 2006–2015: An ecologic study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(5), pages 460-468, August.
    8. Yee Tak Derek Cheung & Matthew J Spittal & Michelle Kate Williamson & Sui Jay Tung & Jane Pirkis, 2013. "Application of Scan Statistics to Detect Suicide Clusters in Australia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, January.
    9. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Derek Cheung, Yee Tak & Spittal, Matthew J. & Williamson, Michelle Kate & Tung, Sui Jay & Pirkis, Jane, 2014. "Predictors of suicides occurring within suicide clusters in Australia, 2004–2008," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 135-142.
    2. Hill, Nicole & Too, Lay San & Spittal, Matt & Robinson, Jo, 2020. "Suicide clusters in Australian youth: A comparison of cluster detection methods," SocArXiv a6q3p, Center for Open Science.
    3. Phillip Cheuk Fung Law & Lay San Too & Nicole T. M. Hill & Jo Robinson & Madelyn Gould & Jo-An Occhipinti & Matthew J. Spittal & Katrina Witt & Mark Sinyor & Benedikt Till & Nathaniel Osgood & Ante Pr, 2021. "A Pilot Case-Control Study of the Social Media Activity Following Cluster and Non-Cluster Suicides in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. İlkay Unay-Gailhard & Mark A. Brennen, 2022. "How digital communications contribute to shaping the career paths of youth: a review study focused on farming as a career option," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1491-1508, December.
    5. Mahin Ghafari & Vali Baigi & Zahra Cheraghi & Amin Doosti-Irani, 2016. "The Prevalence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Iranian Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-10, June.
    6. Elizabeth T Cafiero-Fonseca & Andrew Stawasz & Sydney T Johnson & Reiko Sato & David E Bloom, 2017. "The full benefits of adult pneumococcal vaccination: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, October.
    7. Santos Urbina & Sofía Villatoro & Jesús Salinas, 2021. "Self-Regulated Learning and Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-12, June.
    8. Oded Berger-Tal & Alison L Greggor & Biljana Macura & Carrie Ann Adams & Arden Blumenthal & Amos Bouskila & Ulrika Candolin & Carolina Doran & Esteban Fernández-Juricic & Kiyoko M Gotanda & Catherine , 2019. "Systematic reviews and maps as tools for applying behavioral ecology to management and policy," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 30(1), pages 1-8.
    9. Nadine Desrochers & Adèle Paul‐Hus & Jen Pecoskie, 2017. "Five decades of gratitude: A meta‐synthesis of acknowledgments research," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 68(12), pages 2821-2833, December.
    10. Maryono, Maryono & Killoes, Aditya Marendra & Adhikari, Rajendra & Abdul Aziz, Ammar, 2024. "Agriculture development through multi-stakeholder partnerships in developing countries: A systematic literature review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    11. Alene Sze Jing Yong & Yi Heng Lim & Mark Wing Loong Cheong & Ednin Hamzah & Siew Li Teoh, 2022. "Willingness-to-pay for cancer treatment and outcome: a systematic review," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(6), pages 1037-1057, August.
    12. Xue-Ying Xu & Hong Kong & Rui-Xiang Song & Yu-Han Zhai & Xiao-Fei Wu & Wen-Si Ai & Hong-Bo Liu, 2014. "The Effectiveness of Noninvasive Biomarkers to Predict Hepatitis B-Related Significant Fibrosis and Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(6), pages 1-16, June.
    13. Vicente Miñana-Signes & Manuel Monfort-Pañego & Javier Valiente, 2021. "Teaching Back Health in the School Setting: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-18, January.
    14. Agnieszka A. Tubis & Katarzyna Grzybowska, 2022. "In Search of Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 in Small-Medium Enterprises—A State of the Art Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-26, November.
    15. Obsa Urgessa Ayana & Jima Degaga, 2022. "Effects of rural electrification on household welfare: a meta-regression analysis," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 69(2), pages 209-261, June.
    16. Caloffi, Annalisa & Colovic, Ana & Rizzoli, Valentina & Rossi, Federica, 2023. "Innovation intermediaries' types and functions: A computational analysis of the literature," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    17. García-Poole, Chloe & Byrne, Sonia & Rodrigo, María José, 2019. "How do communities intervene with adolescents at psychosocial risk? A systematic review of positive development programs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 194-209.
    18. Jie Zhao & Ji Chen & Damien Beillouin & Hans Lambers & Yadong Yang & Pete Smith & Zhaohai Zeng & Jørgen E. Olesen & Huadong Zang, 2022. "Global systematic review with meta-analysis reveals yield advantage of legume-based rotations and its drivers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    19. Qing Ye & Bao-Xin Qian & Wei-Li Yin & Feng-Mei Wang & Tao Han, 2016. "Association between the HFE C282Y, H63D Polymorphisms and the Risks of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis o," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, September.
    20. Bishal Mohindru & David Turner & Tracey Sach & Diana Bilton & Siobhan Carr & Olga Archangelidi & Arjun Bhadhuri & Jennifer A. Whitty, 2020. "Health State Utility Data in Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review," PharmacoEconomics - Open, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 13-25, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5313-:d:803483. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.