Authors: Lakshmi Vijayakumar, Soumitra Pathare, Nikhil Jain, Deepa Pandit, Isha Lohumi, Jasmine Kalha, Laura Shields-Zeeman
This study tested a large suicide-prevention program in rural India. The program combined school lessons on mental health, safe storage of pesticides, and CHW training to spot and support people at risk. Across 124 villages, the program did not reduce the overall number of suicide attempts and deaths when combined, but it did lead to fewer deaths by suicide. Students who received the school sessions showed lower depression and suicidal thoughts. Most households accepted the pesticide storage lockers, and CHWs became better at identifying and supporting at-risk people, finding more than a hundred individuals who needed help. Overall, the program improved awareness, early identification, and safety in the community, and may help reduce suicide deaths when used at scale in similar settings.
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Resource Topic: CHW Role, Mental health, Suicide prevention
Resource Type: Randomized controlled trial
Year: 2025
Region: Asia
Country: India
Publisher May Restrict Access: No