Information-Seeking on the Internet

Crisis ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinod Singaravelu ◽  
Anne Stewart ◽  
Joanna Adams ◽  
Sue Simkin ◽  
Keith Hawton
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Specific Advice ◽  
Restriction Sites ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Negative Tone

Abstract. Background: The Internet is used by young people at risk of self-harm to communicate, find information, and obtain support. Aims: We aimed to identify and analyze websites potentially accessed by these young people. Method: Six search terms, relating to self-harm/suicide and depression, were input into four search engines. Websites were analyzed for access, content/purpose, and tone. Results: In all, 314 websites were included in the analysis. Most could be accessed without restriction. Sites accessed by self-harm/suicide search terms were mostly positive or preventive in tone, whereas sites accessed by the term ways to kill yourself tended to have a negative tone. Information about self-harm methods was common with specific advice on how to self-harm in 15.8% of sites, encouragement of self-harm in 7.0%, and evocative images of self-harm/suicide in 20.7%. Advice on how to get help was given in 56.1% of sites. Conclusion: Websites relating to suicide or self-harm are easily accessed. Many sites are potentially helpful. However, a significant proportion of sites are potentially harmful through normalizing or encouraging self-harm. Enquiry regarding Internet use should be routinely included while assessing young people at risk.

The Impact of a Highly Publicized Celebrity Suicide on Suicide-Related Online Information Seeking

Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Arendt ◽  
Sebastian Scherr
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Search Queries ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Celebrity Suicide ◽  
Online Information Seeking ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Background: Research has already acknowledged the importance of the Internet in suicide prevention as search engines such as Google are increasingly used in seeking both helpful and harmful suicide-related information. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of a highly publicized suicide by a Hollywood actor on suicide-related online information seeking. Method: We tested the impact of the highly publicized suicide of Robin Williams on volumes of suicide-related search queries. Results: Both harmful and helpful search terms increased immediately after the actor's suicide, with a substantial jump of harmful queries. Limitations: The study has limitations (e.g., possible validity threats of the query share measure, use of ambiguous search terms). Conclusion: Online suicide prevention efforts should try to increase online users' awareness of and motivation to seek help, for which Google's own helpline box could play an even more crucial role in the future.

scholarly journals Assessing young people who deliberately harm themselves

2000 ◽  
Vol 176 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Hurry ◽  
Pamela Storey
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Postal Questionnaire ◽  
Psychosocial Assessment ◽  
Old Patients ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Patients At Risk ◽  
Self Harm

BackgroundMany young people who harm themselves have chronic mental health or social problems or are at risk of future self-harm or even suicide. The accident and emergency (A&E) clinic is an important gateway to treatment.AimsTo describe the psychosocial assessment of 12- to 24-year-old patients attending A&E clinics following deliberate self-harm (DSH) and to identify features of service management and provision which maximise specialist assessment.MethodA postal questionnaire was sent to a sample of one in three A&E departments in England. In a representative sample of 18 of these hospitals, staff were interviewed and 50 case notes per hospital were examined.ResultsPsychosocial assessment by non-specialist doctors in A&E departments tended to be of variable quality, focused on short-term risk. Around 43% of patients aged 12–24 were assessed by a specialist; specialist assessment was associated with high admission rates and the presence of on-site psychiatric departments and DSH teams.ConclusionsYoung DSH patients at risk often go unidentified; as a result their psychological problems may not be treated. Hospitals are frequently unaware of the proportion of patients discharged without adequate assessment.

Self-harm: A guide for schools on how to respond

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 295-297
Author(s):  
Charlie Waller
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
School Staff ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
University Of Oxford ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The University

A guide from the University of Oxford and the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust offers practical ways in which schools can support young people at risk from self-harm, which school nurses can share with school staff members to help them respond.

scholarly journals The challenges of managing self-harm effectively

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 442-443
Author(s):  
Nisha Dogra
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
Frontline Staff ◽  
What Works ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
Self Harm

SummaryThis commentary discusses how much we appear to know about self-harm and the circumstances in which it may occur but how little we really know about what works in managing it. It reviews how suggestions for its management conflict with what we know about self-harm and the outcomes of young people. The challenge appears to be how better to identify those at risk of further self-harm and to train frontline staff in this, so that at-risk individuals may be referred to specialist services. Perhaps there is also a need to review the evidence for what actually works in reducing repetition of self-harm.

Rapid response pathway united to reduce self-harm (RUSH): a case study of a pilot pathway for children and young people

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly Cross ◽  
Tim Clarke
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Rapid Response ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Harm

Purpose In response to elevated local self-harm and suicide rates, and the lack of a dedicated pathway for children and young people (CYP) who self-harm, a rapid response pathway united to reduce self-harm (RUSH) was developed and implemented within Norwich (Norfolk, England). This public health case study aims to describe the pathway model and share its outcomes, learnings, and reflections over the pilot year. Design/methodology/approach RUSH was a community-based pilot pathway aiming to support CYP, 11–18 years old, engaging in or at risk of engaging in repeated self-harm and subsequently at risk of repeated attendance at local emergency departments. From May 2020 to April 2021, RUSH supported 61 CYP using funding from NHS England and Improvement. Findings This case study shares the pathway’s outcomes, through a mixed-method evaluation. Results indicate statistically significant reductions in self-harm frequency (p = 0.01) and anxiety and depression symptomatology (p < 0.001); a statistically significant increase in progress towards goals (p < 0.001); and a general downward trend in re-attendance at local emergency departments following RUSH. Findings also illustrate high service user satisfaction. Framework analysis of focus group data highlights positive experiences with hope for recommissioning from a staff perspective. Originality/value This study will be valuable for services looking to develop and implement a similar service provision, in response to the need to tackle self-harm rates as a broader approach to suicide prevention. In light of the NHS long-term plan (2019), it also serves as an example of how to develop and use a strategic co-production group, and work collaboratively with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors.

scholarly journals Using the internet for suicide-related purposes: Contrasting findings from young people in the community and self-harm patients admitted to hospital

PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. e0197712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Biddle ◽  
Jane Derges ◽  
Carlie Goldsmith ◽  
Jenny L. Donovan ◽  
David Gunnell
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Self Harm

Harmful or helpful? The role of the internet in self-harming and suicidal behaviour in young people

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Bell
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Suicidal Behaviour ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Harm

Purpose – The internet plays an important role in the lives of self-harming and suicidal young people yet little is known about how internet use influences this behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evidence base with a view to determining directions for future research and practice. Design/methodology/approach – Literature relating to self-harming and suicidal behaviour, young people, and the internet is reviewed with a focus on content and methodology. Findings – The internet provides access to: “how-to” descriptions of suicide; unregulated/illegal online pharmacies; forums to spread this information; access to others seeking to end their own lives. Such sites are believed to elevate risk amongst vulnerable individuals. Conversely, the internet provides access to intervention and prevention activity, online support groups, advice, and personal chat. These can be a key resource in helping young people. There is a lack of consensus on what constitutes harmful and helpful online exchange, often evidenced in disparity between the perceptions of professionals and users. Research limitations/implications – Research is needed to map out a more accurate picture of suicide and self-harm resources on the internet and to establish a consensus about what constitutes harmful and helpful exchange. This needs to be based on: a comprehensive and informed range of search terms; a clear distinction between types of resource; a clear and consistent rationale for distinguishing and categorizing sites; a systematic replicable methodology for plotting the scope, content, accessibility, and popularity of web resources at a given point in time; the views of young people who use these sites, as well as practitioners and professionals. Practical implications – Practitioners need to: regularly assess the quantity, quality, and nature of self-harm/suicide focused internet use amongst service users; be aware of which sites are most appropriate for particular individuals; promote sites directed at young people that enhance effective coping. Professional mental health organizations need to find ways of ensuring that: they are consistently well represented amongst search results online; sites are readily accessible; more practitioners are trained in text-based communications. Originality/value – This paper offers a framework and rationale for future research and for those involved in service provision, policy, and practice.

scholarly journals Weblog “How Do I Breathe?”—Design and View Statistics

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (01) ◽  
pp. 041-049
Author(s):  
Gabriele de Luccas ◽  
Giédre Berretin-Felix ◽  
Ana Fukushiro
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mouth Breathing ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Vital Functions ◽  
Analysis Design

Introduction Breathing is one of the vital functions of the body and is essential for the maintenance of life. Preventive measures for respiratory disorders can be used by the population, as well as early self-diagnosis and immediate search for treatment based on knowledge of this subject. Objective this study developed a weblog on the breathing function targeting young people and analyzed the statistical data of views until the present moment. Methods The weblog was developed, and the stages of analysis, design, development and implementation were followed. All texts were evaluated by the Flesch Reading Index to verify the language, and the statistical data were analyzed by the number of views, countries with the highest number of views, search terms used, most viewed pages and number of comments on the blog. Results Issues related to the breathing function and those most cited in the literature were selected. The blog was structured using pages with content and curiosities, with texts with minimum readability of 50%, and was made available on the internet by means of the Wordpress tool. The statistics showed an increase in the number of visits after August 2015; the countries with the highest number of views were Brazil, United States and Portugal; the search terms used were unknown or related to mouth breathing; the most viewed pages related to mouth breathing and the comments addressed questions on mouth breathing, reports and compliments. Conclusion The blog “How do I breathe?,” aimed at young people and containing information about the breathing function, was developed and is available on the internet at the address: https://comoeurespiro.wordpress.com.

scholarly journals The Influence of the Internet on the Socialization of Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-10
Author(s):  
Bazarova Tatyana S. ◽  
◽  
Fomitskaya Galina N. ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Young People ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Value Orientations ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Dependent Behavior ◽  
The Impact

The article is devoted to an urgent pedagogical problem – the influence of the Internet on the socialization of student youth in modern conditions, which determined the purpose and objectives of the article: to characterize the role of the Internet in the formation of values and attitudes of student youth, the development of Internet-dependent behavior. To achieve the goal, the following research methods were used: literature analysis on the problem under study, express survey and testing, comparative analysis of the results. This problem is considered taking into account the increasing importance of electronic resources in the context of digitalization of modern society. The characteristics of the main concepts of the problem under study are given: socialization, student youth, the Internet, etc. The approaches to defining the place of the Internet as the main means of communication and information for young people are reflected. The authors present the results of a comprehensive monitoring study conducted in recent years among the students of the Dorzhi Banzarov Buryat State University. On the basis of the primary data of the study the actual characteristics of the problem under study are highlighted: the goals and reasons for visiting the Internet (communication in social networks, information search, entertainment, studies), the respondents’ evaluation of the impact of the Internet as more positive than negative. The study of the value orientations of modern student youth showed that the respondents choose the main traditional values: family, health, love, self-development. Thus, the peculiarities of the influence of the Internet on the socialization of student youth are presented as follows: the main purpose of visiting the Internet is to communicate in social networks; young people are quite aware of the role of Internet influence; the main life values of the young generation retain a traditional character; a significant proportion of respondents have formed and stable Internet addictive behavior. The analysis of the results obtained shows that the use of the Internet as the main means of communication and information does not, in general, have a negative impact on the formation of values and attitudes of student youth, but contributes to the development of Internet-dependent behavior. Keywords: socialization, student youth, the Internet, value orientations, Internet-dependent behavior

Suicide Prevention via the Internet

Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Jacob ◽  
Jonathan Scourfield ◽  
Rhiannon Evans
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Professional Programs ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Harm Prevention ◽  
The Impact

Background: While concerns abound regarding the impact of the Internet on suicidal behaviors, its role as a medium for suicide prevention remains underexplored. Aims: The study examines what is currently known about the operation and effectiveness of Internet programs for suicide and self-harm prevention that are run by professionals. Method: Systematic searches of scholarly databases and suicide-related academic journals yielded 15 studies that presented online prevention strategies. Results: No professional programs with a sole focus on nonsuicidal self-harm were identified, thus all studies reviewed focused on suicide prevention. Studies were predominantly descriptive and summarized the nature of the strategy and the target audience. There was no formal evaluation of program effectiveness in preventing suicide. Studies either presented strategies that supported individuals at risk of suicide (n = 8), supported professionals working with those at risk (n = 6), or attempted to improve website quality (n = 1). Conclusion: Although the Internet increasingly serves as an important medium for suicidal individuals, and there is concern about websites that both promote and encourage suicidal activity, there is lack of published evidence about online prevention strategies. More attention is needed in the development and evaluation of such preventative approaches.

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