Suicidal behaviours and moderator support in online health communities: protocol for a scoping review

Abstract

IntroductionSuicidal ideation and suicidal behaviours are common yet complex mental health presentations that can pose significant challenges for health professionals. The inability to accurately predict the individuals who may move from experiencing suicidal ideation and associated behaviours, to completing suicide, presents one such challenge. This can make it difficult to provide interventions and support to those most in need. Online health communities are one possible source of support for individuals who experience suicidal ideation and behaviours. These communities are becoming an increasingly popular way of accessing support, often with life-saving consequences. Within online communities, support is offered by various individuals including, in some instances, health professionals from various backgrounds, who work as online health community moderators. Given the growth of online communities and the increasing number of health professionals working as moderators, this scoping review seeks to map the literature that has focused on health professionals working as online community moderators, who interact with members experiencing suicidal ideation and behaviours. Mapping the existing literature offers benefits to both research and practice by identifying gaps in the research and providing a beginning knowledge base of current practice that can inform the training and development of health professionals working as community moderators.Methods and analysisThis scoping review will follow the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley, later adapted by Levacet al. To ensure appropriate rigour, this protocol uses the 20-item Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and extension for Scoping Reviews. Literature will be identified using a search strategy developed in consultation with a specialist research librarian at the university where the researchers are employed. Ten multidisciplinary databases will be independently searched by two researchers, and both researchers will screen for inclusion, and undertake the data extraction. The first author will perform a quality assessment of the articles that are selected for inclusion. A second researcher will complete a random audit of 20% of the included articles to assess for quality and suitability in answering the research questions. The first author will complete the analysis and synthesis of the data. A numerical and narrative synthesis of the included studies will be provided.Ethics and disseminationThe scoping review has been deemed as being exempt from ethical review as no data will be collected from human participants. The results of the scoping review may be published in a peer-reviewed journal, thesis, presented at relevant conferences, and shared with relevant knowledge users.

Suicide capability within the ideation-to-action framework: A systematic scoping review

“…A pilot data charting template [ 31 ] was modified and initially used by LTB. According to Perry et al [ 33 ], to ensure relevant information is being captured the template should be pretested. Thus, the template was discussed and pretested with SC after trialling with five studies.…”

Online suicidal thoughts and/or behaviours talk: A scoping review protocol

“…A quality assessment limitation will also be implemented during the search stage. Although quality or critical assessment of studies is not a scoping review requirement [ 56 , 57 ], some published scoping review protocols [ 68 , 69 ] and reviews [ 70 – 73 ] include such an assessment. Further, as one of the purposes of the proposed review is to identify gaps in the literature, quality assessment has been recommended in such situations [ 74 ].…”

Suicidal behaviours and moderator support in online health communities: a scoping review

“…No geographical limitations were placed on the literature as suicidal behaviours are a global concern. 10 The The detailed search strategy and search strings can be located in the published protocol 11 (table 1). The search strategy was conducted independently by two reviewers (AP, DP) and 395 results were returned as well as an additional two articles identified through hand searching of reference lists.…”

“…The scoping review protocol as specified by Perry et al 11 was used in this study. It followed the six-stage scoping review methodology proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, 26 and further developed by Levac et al 27 and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).…”

“…2 This reluctance is problematic due to the risk of serious harm or death that is associated with suicidal behaviours. 9 10 Recent research framed within the suicide ideation to action framework 11 distinguishes between the separate, yet connected constructs of suicidal ideation, behaviours and suicide. Suicidal ideation refers to the thoughts of killing oneself and can range from fleeting thoughts to detailed plans.…”