TY - JOUR

T1 - Alcohol use, self-harm and suicide

T2 - a scoping review of its portrayal in the Sri Lankan literature

AU - Sørensen, Jane Brandt

AU - Pearson, Melissa

AU - Pushpakumara, Janaka

AU - Leth-Sørensen, Dominique

AU - Buhl, Alexandra

AU - Konradsen, Flemming

AU - Senarathna, Lalith

N1 - Funding Information: This work was part of the community-based alcohol education intervention (THEATRE) study, supported by NHMRC grant number 1146354 as part of the Global Alliance for Chronic Disease mental health projects ( MH18 ). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background: Suicide is a global public health problem. Compared to other middle-income countries, much literature has been generated on the topic of self-harm and suicide in Sri Lanka. Harmful use of alcohol is a well-known risk factor to self-harm and suicide, however the connection needed further exploration. Aim: The aim was to investigate alcohol's role in self-harm and suicide in Sri Lanka to inform policy and prevention programs and future research priorities. Methods: We performed a scoping review exploring how the association between alcohol use, self-harm and suicide in Sri Lanka is presented in scientific literature from August 1, 2008 to December 31, 2022. Thematic analysis was used to explore emerging themes. Results: Altogether 116 peer-reviewed articles were included. Three themes emerged: (i) gendered, inter-relational explanations of alcohol's role in self-harm, (ii) hospital management of patients who co-ingested alcohol and pesticides, and (iii) proposed research and interventions targeting alcohol, self-harm and suicide. The articles' recommendations for policy, prevention and research priorities included: Family- and community-based alcohol, self-harm and suicide reduction interventions; viewing self-harm as a window of opportunity for health personnel to intervene in families affected by harmful alcohol consumption; and introduction of and increased access to treatment of alcohol use disorder at the individual level. Conclusion: Suggestions for alcohol, self-harm, and suicide prevention interventions were primarily targeted at the community, though this might also reflect the limited treatment, mental health, and alcohol support available in the country. Future research should explore and test context-appropriate interventions integrating alcohol and self-harm prevention and treatment.

AB - Background: Suicide is a global public health problem. Compared to other middle-income countries, much literature has been generated on the topic of self-harm and suicide in Sri Lanka. Harmful use of alcohol is a well-known risk factor to self-harm and suicide, however the connection needed further exploration. Aim: The aim was to investigate alcohol's role in self-harm and suicide in Sri Lanka to inform policy and prevention programs and future research priorities. Methods: We performed a scoping review exploring how the association between alcohol use, self-harm and suicide in Sri Lanka is presented in scientific literature from August 1, 2008 to December 31, 2022. Thematic analysis was used to explore emerging themes. Results: Altogether 116 peer-reviewed articles were included. Three themes emerged: (i) gendered, inter-relational explanations of alcohol's role in self-harm, (ii) hospital management of patients who co-ingested alcohol and pesticides, and (iii) proposed research and interventions targeting alcohol, self-harm and suicide. The articles' recommendations for policy, prevention and research priorities included: Family- and community-based alcohol, self-harm and suicide reduction interventions; viewing self-harm as a window of opportunity for health personnel to intervene in families affected by harmful alcohol consumption; and introduction of and increased access to treatment of alcohol use disorder at the individual level. Conclusion: Suggestions for alcohol, self-harm, and suicide prevention interventions were primarily targeted at the community, though this might also reflect the limited treatment, mental health, and alcohol support available in the country. Future research should explore and test context-appropriate interventions integrating alcohol and self-harm prevention and treatment.

KW - Alcohol

KW - Scoping review

KW - Self-harm

KW - Sri Lanka

KW - Suicide

U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17566

DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17566

M3 - Review

C2 - 37449166

AN - SCOPUS:85163497575

VL - 9

JO - Heliyon

JF - Heliyon

SN - 2405-8440

IS - 7

M1 - e17566

ER -