Innovative Suicide Prevention Methods: The Role of New Technologies and Medical Services in Saving Lives

Dear Colleagues, 

For many years, there has been significant interest in the issue of suicide worldwide. This is due to rising rates and the alarming forecasts of the World Health Organization (WHO) in this area.

These deaths could likely be avoided because preventing suicidal behavior is possible. For this to be effective, actions taken must be systemic and comprehensive, based on strategies with scientifically proven effectiveness, focused on the individual, group, or entire population.

However, with the development of new technologies, traditional methods of action, especially those affecting the general population, have become significantly personalized. This is an important element of suicide prevention, especially for young people who are proficient in using new technological tools. Mobile apps, personalized applications offering various features such as emotional support or behavioral coaching, virtual reality counseling, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for data integration and analysis using AI algorithms, as well as machine learning and AI-based algorithms analyzing language patterns, mood, and other signals on social media – these are innovative methods that are becoming part of suicide prevention and risk management strategies. Their further development will open up new possibilities for their practical application, thus contributing to significant improvements in the effectiveness of suicide prevention on a large scale.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish original research and systematic reviews, both clinical and observational, that analyze the use of innovative methods in suicide prevention in its broadest sense. We invite you to submit manuscripts on the following topics:

• Applications of new technologies and algorithms based on artificial intelligence in suicide prevention;
• Implementation and evaluation of therapeutic chatbots based on artificial intelligence used to support mental health;
• Strategies for the effective implementation of innovative suicide prevention methods;
• The role of artificial intelligence in the analysis of complex data to predict suicide risk;
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of implemented innovative solutions in suicide prevention;
• Prospects for the use of digital tools in the development of suicide prevention methods.

Dr. Dorota Lasota
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• digital tools
• new technologies
• medical services
• suicide
• suicidal behavior
• prevention
• public health
• innovations