Korean Suicide Prevention Guideline Includes Mention of ECT

 Out on PubMed, from authors in Korea, is this new guideline:

Development of a Clinical Guideline for Suicide Prevention in Psychiatric Patients Based on the ADAPTE Methodology.

Yang JH, Yoo J, Kang DH, Park CHK, Rhee SJ, Kim MJ, Lee SY, Shim SH, Moon JJ, Cho SJ, Kim SG, Kim MH, Lee J, Kang WS, Lee WY, Ahn YM.Psychiatry Investig. 2024 Sep 30. doi: 10.30773/pi.2024.0195. Online ahead of print.PMID: 39344367 
The abstract is copied below:

Objective: Suicide is a significant public health issue, with South Korea having the highest suicide rate among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. This study aimed to develop clinical guidelines for suicide prevention in psychiatric patients in Korea using the ADAPTE methodology.

Methods: The development process involved a comprehensive review of literature, expert consultations, and consensus-building using the Nominal Group Technique and Delphi method. The guidelines focus on evidence-based psychiatric treatments, including both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, tailored to the Korean context. Key findings underscoring the need for standardized treatment protocols for patients with major psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia.

Results: The guidelines incorporate treatments like lithium, clozapine, atypical antipsychotics, electroconvulsive therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which have shown effectiveness in suicide prevention. Applicability and acceptability within Korea's healthcare system were addressed, ensuring feasibility given the country's medical insurance coverage and accessibility. The guidelines were validated through expert reviews and Delphi rounds, achieving consensus on the final recommendations.

Conclusion: The developed guidelines provide a structured, evidence-based approach to reducing suicide rates among psychiatric patients in Korea. Future research will focus on expanding these guidelines to include screening protocols for high-risk groups.

Keywords: ADAPTE; Clinical guidelines; Guideline; Suicide; Suicide prevention.

The article is here.

And from the text:




Most of this paper is about the methodology of developing this guideline for Korea, and not worth reading. The relevant ECT part is highlighted, above.

The introduction notes how large the suicide problem is in Korea. As we have discussed before, the evidence that ECT reduces suicide and suicidal behaviors has become increasingly solid in recent years. Kudos to our Korean colleagues for this important inclusion of ECT in suicide prevention guidelines. 



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