(PS9-14) Messaging Strategies for Enhancing Suicide Awareness Among Youth: A Scoping Review

Abstract Text: India's share of global suicides rose from 25.3% to 36.6% for women and from 18.7% to 24.3% for men from 1990 to 2016 (Arif, 2022), and 66% of suicides in India are contributed by people within the age range of 18 to 45 years (Singh, 2022). Moreover, 17% of the world's population resides in India, and nearly 30% of the population is between the ages of 15 and 29, so it is crucial to prevent suicidal behaviors among young people in India to achieve the targeted reduction of premature fatalities due to suicides globally (Balaji et al., 2023). Raising awareness is critical to suicide prevention worldwide (Cusimano & Sameem, 2011), especially in countries similar to India, where elevated stigma levels combined with insufficient awareness of suicide is one of the greatest challenges (Menon et al., 2023). Openly discussing suicide fosters awareness, encourages help-seeking behavior, and reduces risk among youth (Langford et al., 2013). Safe messaging about suicide, defined as clear prevention messages that improve suicide literacy while adhering to media guidelines that promote responsible coverage, can facilitate this (Christensen & Petrie, 2013). Guidelines for youth suicide prevention messaging are evolving, exemplified by Australia's 'chatsafe' project, an evidence-based framework for safe online discussions (Robinson et al., 2018). The present study aims to identify effective global public messaging models for suicide prevention, focusing on social media and cultural considerations among youth that can be adapted for youth in India. This study follows the JBI methodology for scoping reviews (2024) and PRISMA-ScR guidelines and has been pre-registered (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/9C3UD). A systematic literature search using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus identified 1,411 references for screening. After duplicate removal, two independent reviewers conducted abstract and full-text screening and ultimately selected 57 studies for analysis. Covidence software streamlined the screening and data extraction process, ensuring reliability through independent review and discussion. The study selection process was documented using a PRISMA flow diagram. Extracted data will be categorized into key themes, including effective public communication strategies, the role of social media in suicide prevention, cultural influences on messaging, common challenges and solutions, and effectiveness metrics. Findings, expected by the conference, will inform evidence-based messaging strategies for youth suicide prevention, with a special focus on leveraging social media and cultural factors to enhance awareness and promote help-seeking behaviors.