The Development of a Community Empowerment Model for Preventing Suicide of Lamphun Province

Abstract

Background:   Developing a surveillance model for assisting those at risk of suicide by empowering the community, it is an important way to strengthen                                   physical and mental health for people with depression or those at risk of suicide to live like normal people and have a better quality of life.

Objective:       To develop a model for community empowerment in suicide prevention and to assess the outcomes of using the model.

Study design: The  research was a participatory action research with 3 groups of samples as follows: committees for quality of life development at District                               and  Sub-District, Mae Tha District totaling 13 partici pants, stakeholders in the development and use of the model was 109 partici pants and                             84 people were at risk of suicide. The research tools include a focus group discussion guide, depression assessment form, and a satisfaction                               assessment form. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis and quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage,                                 mean, standard deviation and paired samples t-test statistic.

Results:           The model of community empowerment in suicide prevention consist of 4 pillars, which were Pillar 1: Information system, pillar 2: screening                               and surveillance system, pillar 3: prevention and treatment system and pillar 4: management system to create sustainability. The results of                                 using the model found that; on the side of depression before participating in activities, most risk groups behave at risk of suicide quite often.                             (=1.70) After there is a decrease in risk behavior (=0.90). The mental strength showed that before participating in the activity, the risk group                               was quite mentally weak (=1.20). After there is better mental strength (=1.65). Community Power Perception Before participating in the                                       event,  most risk groups had a moderate perception of community power (=2.76), and after there was a considerable level of perception of                                 power in the community (=3.57). The satisfaction of using the model showed that the participants were very satisfied (=4.17).

Conclusions:  The suicide prevention community empowerment model helps prevent depression, build mental strength and make the risk group aware of                               the power of the community

Keywords:       Preventing model, Community empowerment, Suicide