Safety Planning Intervention in Swedish Healthcare: A Multisite Study for Suicide Prevention
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Safety Planning Intervention (SPI).
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Suicide Attempt. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Sweden
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Suicide is one of the leading causes of premature death and a prioritized public health concern. Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) is a method with strong international research support for reducing suicidal behaviour by enhancing individuals' strategies for crisis management and improving access to support. SPI is a single-session intervention lasting approximately 45 minutes, which any healthcare provider can deliver after a brief training. Despite promising results, the implementation of SPI in Swedish healthcare remains limited. This project examines how SPI can be integrated into various healthcare settings and evaluates its impact on suicide-related emergency visits, psychiatric hospitalizations, and healthcare utilization. Data and Methods Stepped-Wedge implementation study in specialist psychiatry, where SPI is gradually introduced in psychiatric units. This study design allows for a robust evaluation of effects while ensuring all units eventually receive the intervention. As part of this study, a survey among healthcare professionals will be conducted to assess their experiences with feasibility, usability, and implementation barriers. Data will be collected from QlikView healthcare utilization data. Poisson regression models with mixed effects will be used to analyze the impact of SPI on emergency visits and psychiatric hospitalizations. A health economic analysis will be conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of SPI. Societal Relevance and Impact The project contributes to Sweden's national suicide prevention strategy by: 1. Scientifically evaluating the feasibility and effects of SPI in Swedish healthcare. 2. Developing training programs for healthcare professionals in suicide prevention. 3. Informing policy decisions and national guidelines. 4. Analyzing the cost-effectiveness of SPI from a societal perspective. Implementation The research team includes experts in suicide prevention, psychiatry, epidemiology, patient safety, and health economics, creating a strong multidisciplinary foundation. The Stepped-Wedge design ensures an ethically and methodologically sound evaluation of SPI. Gradual implementation allows for time-based comparisons, minimizes selection bias, and ensures all patients receive the intervention. The project is conducted in close collaboration with healthcare providers and policymakers to ensure that research findings can be integrated into clinical practice and strengthen suicide prevention efforts in Sweden.
Interventions
- Behavioral Safety Planning Intervention (SPI)
Safety Planning Intervention (SPI), developed by Stanley \& Brown (12), is a brief, structured suicide preventive intervention designed to help individuals identify warning signs, develop coping strategies, and establish emergency contact pathways. SPI is a single-session intervention that typically lasts approximately 45 minutes and is delivered in clinical or emergency care settings. It is designed to help individuals identify warning signs, develop coping strategies, and establish a concrete
Primary outcome measures
- Monthly rate of emergency visits for suicide attempts [Time frame: Monthly measurements throughout the 45-month study period]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Monthly rate of psychiatric inpatient admissions for suicide attempts [Time frame: Monthly measurements throughout the 45-month study period]
- Emergency department revisits following suicide attempts [Time frame: Monthly measurements throughout the 45-month study period]
- Psychiatric inpatient readmissions following suicide attempts [Time frame: Monthly measurements throughout the 45-month study period]
- Incremental cost-effectiveness of SPI implementation [Time frame: Assessed over the 45-month implementation period]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Patients presenting to psychiatric services with suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, or a suicide attempt
Patients receiving care in participating adult psychiatric emergency or inpatient units
Exclusion criteria
Age under 18 years
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Sequential
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
Study locations
Sweden · 4 centers
- Region Skåne, psychiatric services — Helsingborg
- Region Skåne, psychiatric services — Kristianstad
- Region Skåne, psychiatric services — Lund
- Region Skåne, psychiatric services — Malmö
Publications
- Nuij C, van Ballegooijen W, de Beurs D, Juniar D, Erlangsen A, Portzky G, O'Connor RC, Smit JH, Kerkhof A, Riper H. Safety planning-type interventions for suicide prevention: meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry. 2021 Aug;219(2):419-426. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2021.50. PMID 35048835
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07469917 · 2025-00323