Mental health: suicide prevention: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

PSM · Mental health: suicide prevention

Sample item

A rural district has a high rate of suicide by ingestion of agricultural pesticides. Which community-level strategy has the strongest evidence for reducing suicide deaths there?

APublishing detailed accounts of each suicide in the local mediaBA single yearly awareness lecture in schoolsCRestricting access to highly hazardous pesticidesDPrescribing antidepressants to all adults

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Restricting access to highly hazardous pesticides

Restricting access to the means of suicide is among the best evidenced interventions, and bans of highly hazardous pesticides have reduced suicide deaths in several countries. Safe storage and safer substitutes work because suicidal crises are often brief. Sensational media reporting can increase suicides.

Option by option

A. Publishing detailed accounts of each suicide in the local media
Detailed reporting of method can trigger imitation, as recognised in responsible media guidance.
B. A single yearly awareness lecture in schools
A single lecture has little evidence of effect on suicide deaths.
C. Restricting access to highly hazardous pesticides (correct)
Correct. Limiting access to the lethal means lowers deaths in impulsive crises.
D. Prescribing antidepressants to all adults
Mass antidepressant prescribing is neither targeted nor shown to lower population suicide.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is C, Restricting access to highly hazardous pesticides. Restricting access to the means of suicide is among the best evidenced interventions, and bans of highly hazardous pesticides have reduced suicide deaths in several countries.

Why is "Publishing detailed accounts of each suicide in the local media" not the answer?

Detailed reporting of method can trigger imitation, as recognised in responsible media guidance.

Why is "A single yearly awareness lecture in schools" not the answer?

A single lecture has little evidence of effect on suicide deaths.

Why is "Prescribing antidepressants to all adults" not the answer?

Mass antidepressant prescribing is neither targeted nor shown to lower population suicide.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mental health: suicide prevention in PSM. Safe storage and safer substitutes work because suicidal crises are often brief. Sensational media reporting can increase suicides.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mental health: suicide prevention?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.