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Background Suicide risk screening in healthcare settings plays a significant role in suicide prevention. Healthcare staff who are poorly informed about self-harm and suicide risk are less likely to identify and subsequently screen at-risk individuals. This mixed-method systematic review aimed to appraise and synthesise evidence from studies that explored and promoted healthcare staff's knowledge and awareness of suicide and self-harm risk in healthcare settings. Methods Electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycARTICLES, Psychology and behavioural Science Collection, ERIC, and SocINDEX), the Cochrane Library, and various grey literature databases were searched for relevant studies. The level of evidence and methodological quality of the included studies were assessed. Results Eighteen empirical studies were included. Levels of knowledge about suicide and self-harm risk varied significantly across the reviewed studies. Face-to-face group training and educational programmes, digital or online educational programmes, and an educational poster campaign were amongst the strategies used to promote awareness of suicide and self-harm risk, with the majority marginally succeeding in doing so. Limitations The reviewed studies were heterogeneous in terms of design, interventions, and outcome measures which made it difficult to make comparisons. The overall level of scientific evidence was classified as being relatively low. The lack of blinding and lack of a control group were amongst the limitations for experimental studies. Conclusions Long-term, routine face-to-face group training programmes should be established to educate healthcare staff about suicide risk across all professions and in specific patient groups.

BACKGROUND: Recent research on the patterns of self-harm around public holidays is lacking. This study used national data to examine the patterns of hospital-treated self-harm during public holidays, and to examine associated factors. METHODS: Data on self-harm presentations to all emergency departments were obtained from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland. The association between self-harm presentations and public holidays was examined using univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 104,371 presentations of self-harm were recorded between 2007 and 2015. The mean number of self-harm presentations was 32 on public holidays. St. Patrick's Day had the highest number of presentations compared to all other public holidays, with a daily mean of 44 presentations. Across all years, self-harm presentations during public holidays had a 24% increased risk of involving alcohol consumption compared to all other days and this effect was most pronounced during the Christmas period. The association with alcohol remained significant at a multivariate level. Presentations on public holidays were more likely to attend out of normal working hours. An increase in male presentations involving self-cutting was observed on public holidays and there was an over-representation of males presenting for the first time. LIMITATIONS: It is likely that extent of alcohol involvement in self-harm presentations reported here is an underestimate, as it was dependent on the information being recorded by the attending clinician. CONCLUSIONS: Public holidays are associated with an elevated number of self-harm presentations to hospital, with presentations to hospital involving alcohol significantly increased on these days. Hospital resources should be targeted to address increases during public holidays, including during out-of-hours. Involvement of alcohol may delay delivery of care to these patients in emergency settings.

Objective To measure the step-count accuracy of an ankle-worn accelerometer, a thigh-worn accelerometer, and a pedometer in older and frail inpatients. Design Cross-sectional design study. Setting Research room within a hospital. Participants Convenience sample of inpatients (N=32; age, ≥65 years) who were able to walk 20m independently with or without a walking aid. Interventions Patients completed a 40-minute program of predetermined tasks while wearing the 3 motion sensors simultaneously. Video recording of the procedure provided the criterion measurement of step count. Main Outcome Measures Mean percentage errors were calculated for all tasks, for slow versus fast walkers, for independent walkers versus walking-aid users, and over shorter versus longer distances. The intraclass correlation was calculated, and accuracy was graphically displayed by Bland-Altman plots. Results Thirty-two patients (mean age, 78.1±7.8y) completed the study. Fifteen (47%) were women, and 17 (51%) used walking aids. Their median speed was .46m/s (interquartile range [IQR], .36–.66m/s). The ankle-worn accelerometer overestimated steps (median error, 1% [IQR, −3% to 13%]). The other motion sensors underestimated steps (median error, 40% [IQR, −51% to −35%] and 38% [IQR −93% to −27%], respectively). The ankle-worn accelerometer proved to be more accurate over longer distances (median error, 3% [IQR, 0%–9%]) than over shorter distances (median error, 10% [IQR, −23% to 9%]). Conclusions The ankle-worn accelerometer gave the most accurate step-count measurement and was most accurate over longer distances. Neither of the other motion sensors had acceptable margins of error.