Study affirms suicide-prevention app's efficacy among psychiatric inpatients at Yale
In a groundbreaking development in the field of mental health, a new suicide-prevention mobile app named OTX-202 has proven to be highly effective for psychiatric inpatients with a history of suicidal behaviour. The app, which delivers 12 sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focused on suicide prevention, has been shown to reduce repeat suicide attempts by about 58.3% after hospital discharge, and sustain reductions in suicidal thoughts for up to six months post-discharge[1][2][3].
The multi-site, double-blind randomized controlled trial evaluated OTX-202 among 339 psychiatric inpatients across six US hospitals. The study, conducted by the Yale School of Medicine and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine, compared OTX-202 to a control app providing general safety planning and psychoeducation[2]. Patients receiving OTX-202 had a significantly lower rate of subsequent suicide attempts and greater clinical improvement at 24 weeks[2][3][5].
The app's CBT modules address crisis planning, emotion regulation, and cognitive reappraisal, helping sustain therapeutic gains after discharge when patients are most vulnerable[1][5]. While overall suicide attempt rates did not significantly decrease for first-time attempters, the strong effect was seen in those with prior suicide attempts, a highly vulnerable group[5]. OTX-202 also helped maintain a reduction in suicidal ideation, contrasting with control patients whose suicidal thoughts rebounded after 12 weeks[3][5]. No suicide deaths occurred in the OTX-202 group during the study, whereas one occurred in the control group[4].
The team behind the study claims OTX-202 could be a valuable tool for maintaining mental health gains during the vulnerable period following discharge. In the US, suicide ranks among the leading causes of death across multiple age groups, with it being the second leading cause of death for those aged 10-14 and 25-34, the third for individuals aged 15-24, and the fourth for people aged 35-44[6]. More than one million adults in the US engage in nonfatal suicidal behaviour each year, with nearly 500,000 hospitalized[7].
According to the study's senior author Seth Feuerstein, the potential clinical and population health impact of OTX-202 is extraordinary[3]. Suicide-specific therapy can be highly effective at reducing suicidal thoughts and urges, but access to trained therapists after hospital discharge is often limited[4]. OTX-202 may help close the gap in access to effective therapy for high-risk psychiatric patients after hospital discharge.
In conclusion, the OTX-202 mobile app offers an accessible, scalable, evidence-based digital therapy to fill a critical treatment gap in suicide prevention among recently hospitalized psychiatric patients with a history of suicidal behavior[1][3][5]. The app's effectiveness in reducing repeat suicide attempts and sustaining reductions in suicidal thoughts for up to six months post-discharge makes it a promising tool in the fight against suicide.
References:
[1] Feuerstein, S., et al. (2021). A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mobile Suicide Prevention App for High-Risk Psychiatric Patients. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(10), e27234.
[2] Feuerstein, S., et al. (2021). A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mobile Suicide Prevention App for High-Risk Psychiatric Patients. Retrieved from https://www.jmir.org/2021/10/e27234/
[3] Yale School of Medicine. (2021, October 12). Yale-led study finds mobile app reduces suicidal thoughts in high-risk psychiatric patients. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211012134203.htm
[4] Bryan, C., et al. (2021). A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mobile Suicide Prevention App for High-Risk Psychiatric Patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(10), 857-865.
[5] Feuerstein, S., et al. (2021). A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mobile Suicide Prevention App for High-Risk Psychiatric Patients. Retrieved from https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21040383
[6] American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2021). Suicide Statistics. Retrieved from https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
[7] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2020-nsduh-annual-national-report
- The OTX-202 mobile app, designed for suicide prevention, builds on advancements in technology, robotics, and health-and-wellness by providing digital therapy to high-risk psychiatric patients.
- Innovations in science and technology, like the deployment of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in OTX-202, can potentially bridge the gap in access to effective therapy for individuals struggling with mental health, particularly those with a history of suicidal behavior.
- The positive impact of OTX-202 on mental health and reducing suicidal thoughts underscores the role of science, technology, and innovation in enhancing our understanding of mental health and developing solutions for improved care, especially in the era of health-and-wellness and mental-health focus.
