{
  "abstract": "Question Means restriction for suicide prevention at a population level typically involves policy or environmental changes to limit access to suicide methods. Several systematic reviews of suicide means restriction exist. This umbrella review aimed to synthesise their findings, assess evidence quality, quantify primary study overlap and identify evidence gaps.Study selection and analysis Searches were conducted across Web of Science, Ovid (PsycINFO, EMBASE), Cochrane and PubMed, supplemented by reference list screening. Study quality was assessed using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2. Study overlap was calculated using the corrected covered area.Findings We included 20 systematic reviews, synthesising evidence from 179 unique primary studies. Physical barriers to prevent jumping showed strong effect sizes, although primary study overlap was high. Train platform screen doors were associated with reduced site-specific suicide mortality, with no evidence of displacement to other sites, although the number of studies was small. Paracetamol pack size limitation reduced self-poisoning admissions, with mixed impacts on mortality. Bans on highly hazardous pesticides reduced suicide rates. More recent reviews suggest firearms restrictions may reduce suicides, but with small effect sizes and methodological limitations. Evidence quality ranged from high to critically low (12/20 rated as critically low). With the exception of pesticide restrictions, lower and middle-income settings were not represented.Conclusions Several means restriction approaches demonstrate effectiveness, although high study overlap and variable study quality were evident. A focus on differential impacts across sociodemographic groups, more evidence from lower and middle-income countries and evidence for suicide prevention on roads and from residential buildings is needed.PROSPERO registration number CRD42024620103.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Psychology and Mental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK",
        "Population Health Improvement UK (PHI-UK), London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sarah Steeg"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Improvement UK (PHI-UK), London, UK",
        "King’s College London, London, England, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sarah Ledden"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Improvement UK (PHI-UK), London, UK",
        "Psychology, Middlesex University London - London Campus, London, England, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Lisa Marzano"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Improvement UK (PHI-UK), London, UK",
        "King’s College London, London, England, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Rina Dutta"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Psychology and Mental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK",
        "NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Leah Quinlivan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Psychology and Mental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK",
        "NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Nav Kapur"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Population Health Improvement UK (PHI-UK), London, UK",
        "Swansea University, Swansea, West Glamorgan, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Ann John"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Psychology and Mental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, England, UK",
        "Population Health Improvement UK (PHI-UK), London, UK",
        "NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Roger Thomas Webb"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Effectiveness of suicide means restriction: an overview of systematic reviews",
  "uid": "557c4fce-e82f-582e-82b4-a86d8d0139af"
}