Optimizing suicide prevention programs and their implementation in Europe (OSPI Europe): an evidence-based multi-level approach

Background Suicide and non-fatal suicidal behaviour are significant public health issues in Europe requiring effective preventive interventions. However, the evidence for effective preventive strategies is scarce. The protocol of a European research project to develop an optimized evidence based program for suicide prevention is presented. Method The groundwork for this research has been established by a regional community based intervention for suicide prevention that focuses on improving awareness and care for depression performed within the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD). The EAAD intervention consists of (1) training sessions and practice support for primary care physicians,(2) public relations activities and mass media campaigns, (3) training sessions for community facilitators who serve as gatekeepers for depressed and suicidal persons in the community and treatment and (4) outreach and support for high risk and self-help groups (e.g. helplines). The intervention has been shown to be effective in reducing suicidal behaviour in an earlier study, the Nuremberg Alliance Against Depression. In the context of the current research project described in this paper (OSPI-Europe) the EAAD model is enhanced by other evidence based interventions and implemented simultaneously and in standardised way in four regions in Ireland, Portugal, Hungary and Germany. The enhanced intervention will be evaluated using a prospective controlled design with the primary outcomes being composite suicidal acts (fatal and non-fatal), and with intermediate outcomes being the effect of training programs, changes in public attitudes, guideline-consistent media reporting. In addition an analysis of the economic costs and consequences will be undertaken, while a process evaluation will monitor implementation of the interventions within the different regions with varying organisational and healthcare contexts. Discussion This multi-centre research seeks to overcome major challenges of field research in suicide prevention. It pools data from four European regions, considerably increasing the study sample, which will be close to one million. In addition, the study will gather important information concerning the potential to transfer this multilevel program to other health care systems. The results of this research will provide a basis for developing an evidence-based, efficient concept for suicide prevention for EU-member states

Efeitos de diferentes níveis de aveia preta (Avena strigosa) em rações para suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação Effects of different level of black oats (Avena strigosa) in diets of swine in growing - finishing periods

Com o objetivo de estudar os efeitos de diferentes níveis de aveia preta em rações para suínos, foi realizado no Centro de Treinamento da COTRIJUÍ, Augusto Pestana, RS, um experimento com 40 animais da raça Wessex, com peso médio inicial de 26,5kg, distribuídos num arranjo fatorial de quatro níveis de aveia (0, 15, 30 e 45%) e dois sexos, fêmeas e machos castrados. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições (duas com 2 animais e uma com 1). Água e ração foram fornecidas à vontade. Em ambas as fases, foram avaliados consumo de ração, ganho de peso diário e conversão alimentar. Após o abate, as carcaças foram avaliadas e, dos dados obtidos, calculados o rendimento da carcaça, comprimento da carcaça, espessura média de toicinho, percentagem de pernil, área de olho de lombo e relação came-gordura. Não houve diferença significativa (P > 0,05) entre tratamentos para desempenho e características de carcaça. A interação nível de aveia x sexo, também não foi significativa (P > 0,05). O fator sexo foi estatisticamente significativo (P < 0,05) para consumo e ganho de peso diário, ambos para fase de terminação e total, favorecendo os machos castrados. As fêmeas apresentaram melhor (P < 0,05) percentagem de pernil e a relação came-gordura do que os machos. Os resultados demonstram que a aveia preta pode ser utilizada nas rações para suínos até o nível 45% nas fases de crescimento e terminação, sem comprometer o desempenho e as características de carcaça.<br>The effects of different levels of black oats in diets for swine in growing and finishing period were studied at the Trainning Conter of COTRIJUÍ in Augusto Pestana, RS. The experiment was conducted with 40 animals of Wessex breed, with initial average weight of 26.5kg, distributed in 4 x 2 factorial arrangement (0, 15, 30 and 45% of oats black x 2 sexos). The experimental design used was the completely randomized with 3 repetition. The water and diet were given ad libitum. In both phases, were estimated feed consumption, average daily gain and feed conversion. After the slaughtering, the carcass were classified and calculated the carcass yield, the carcass lenght, the mean backfat thickness, ham percentage, área of the Longissimus dorsi and relation meat-fat. There were no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the treatments for performance and carcass characteristics. In the finishing and total periods, the difference between sex statistically significant (P < 0.05) for the average feed consumption and daily gain, favoring the barrows. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) between sex for the mean backfat tickness and relation meat-fat, favoring the female. The results show that black oats could be utilized in the swine diets up to a level of 45% in the growing and finishing periods, without interference in the swine performance and in the carcass characteristics