Suicide Prevention after Neurodisability: An Evidence-Informed Approach

Suicide risk after disabling neurological conditions is up to five times higher than for the general population; however, knowledge about the extent of the problem, associated risk factors, and effective evidence-informed suicide prevention approaches are limited and fragmented. Suicide Prevention after Neurodisability focuses on the challenges faced by eight different types of neurodisability, namely stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. It pulls together the current knowledge about this risk, detailing a complex interplay between neuropathological, psychiatric, psychological, and psychosocial factors that in part account for this increased presence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Despite the challenges, suicide is often preventable. The best available evidence-informed approaches to suicide prevention in neurodisability are outlined, including clinical approaches to screening, suicide risk assessment, psychotherapeutic interventions, and psychosocial management. The reader-friendly approach will help make suicide prevention after neurodisability everyone's business.

Grahame K. Simpson, PhD is an Associate Professor and has worked as a clinician and researcher for the past 30 years in the field of brain injury rehabilitation at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney, Australia. Over the last 2 decades, he has undertaken and published pioneering research into the epidemiology, psychological mechanisms and risk factors for elevated suicidal behaviors after traumatic brain injury, as well as trialing new psychological treatments for suicide prevention.

Lisa A. Brenner, PhD is a Board Certified Rehabilitation Psychologist, a Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Colorado, Anschutz School of Medicine, and the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center. She is also the Research Director for the Department of PM&R, and the Marcus Institute for Brain Health.