Leveraging data science to enhance suicide prevention research: a literature review.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research is to identify how data science is applied in suicide prevention literature, describe the current landscape of this literature and highlight areas where data science may be useful for future injury prevention research. DESIGN: We conducted a literature review of injury prevention and data science in April 2020 and January 2021 in three databases. METHODS: For the included 99 articles, we extracted the following: (1) author(s) and year; (2) title; (3) study approach (4) reason for applying data science method; (5) data science method type; (6) study description; (7) data source and (8) focus on a disproportionately affected population. RESULTS: Results showed the literature on data science and suicide more than doubled from 2019 to 2020, with articles with individual-level approaches more prevalent than population-level approaches. Most population-level articles applied data science methods to describe (n=10) outcomes, while most individual-level articles identified risk factors (n=27). Machine learning was the most common data science method applied in the studies (n=48). A wide array of data sources was used for suicide research, with most articles (n=45) using social media and web-based behaviour data. Eleven studies demonstrated the value of applying data science to suicide prevention literature for disproportionately affected groups. CONCLUSION: Data science techniques proved to be effective tools in describing suicidal thoughts or behaviour, identifying individual risk factors and predicting outcomes. Future research should focus on identifying how data science can be applied in other injury-related topics.

The psychiatric sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents, adults, and health care workers.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is the most serious global public health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic. This study is the first to assess its mental health impact across the lifespan in the United States in adolescents, adults, and health care workers. METHODS: We recruited 4909 participants through an online survey advertising on Facebook and Instagram to assess exposure to COVID-19 and psychiatric symptoms from April 27 to July 13. We also recruited through the University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and other health care systems around Pittsburgh. The primary outcomes were clinically significant depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, suicidal ideation or behavior, and grief reactions since COVID-19. RESULTS: Adolescents were significantly more likely to report moderate to severe symptoms of depression (55% vs. 29%; χ2 = 122, df = 1; p < .001), anxiety (48% vs. 29%; χ2 = 73; df = 1; p < .001), PTSD (45% vs. 33%; χ2 = 12; df = 1; p < .001), suicidal ideation or behavior (38% vs. 16%; χ2 = 117; df = 1; p < .001), and sleep problems (69% vs. 57%; χ2 = 26; df = 1; p < .001) compared to adults. The rates of intense grief reactions among those who lost someone to COVID-19 was 55%. Loneliness was the most common predictor across outcomes and higher number of hours spent on social media and exposure to media about COVID-19 predicted depression symptoms and suicidal ideation or behavior in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased rates of clinically significant psychiatric symptoms. Loneliness could put individuals at increased risk for the onset of psychiatric disorders.

Adolescent mental health, COVID-19, and the value of school-community partnerships.

Newly released 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)'2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary and Trends Report show that US adolescents continue to suffer from poor mental health and suicidality at alarming rates. These data alone would be cause for concern, but the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to further erode adolescent mental health, particularly for those whose mental health was poor prior to the pandemic. Given the status of adolescent mental health prior to COVID-19 and the impact of COVID-19, health professionals and schools must partner together now to mitigate potentially deleterious health, mental health and education impacts for children and adolescents.