Abstract. Background: Youth suicide has become an emerging public health challenge globally. In this study we leveraged the power of social media to better engage the youth population. Aims: We aimed to investigate the impacts of promoting suicide prevention through social media and evaluate the co-creation process of the project with a popular YouTuber in Hong Kong. Method: A YouTube suicide prevention short film was co-produced by the YouTuber and the research team. We examined the co-creation process using thematic analysis, and analyzed the YouTube video statistics and the data collected from the online survey and public comments. Results: The short film brought positive perceived changes in the audience's suicide prevention knowledge, attitude, and behaviors. Three facilitating factors and one challenge of the co-creation process were identified. The short film statistics and demographics of the audience were also extracted and analyzed. Limitations: There was a small sample size and a lack of a control group in this study. Conclusion: Suicide prevention promotion by the YouTuber was promising. This study demonstrates the effectiveness in promoting suicide prevention via social media and provides a framework for future studies to evaluate similar forms of collaborations.

Abstract. Background: A 45-month community-based suicide prevention program was launched in response to the emergence of a suicide cluster in 2010 in Hong Kong. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, document the implementation and outcomes of the project, and identify factors that contribute to the outcomes. Method: The program was delivered following the five key components of the public health approach: (a) community consensus building; (b) surveillance and monitoring; (c) development of coordinated action strategies; (d) interventions development and implementation at the universal, selective, and indicated levels; and (d) program evaluation. Results: A significant decreasing trend of suicide was found in the study site during the intervention period, whereas no changes were found in the three control sites. Spatial analysis also showed that the suicide cluster subsided after the intervention. Three impacts and one challenge of the program were identified from the qualitative feedback of the program stakeholders. Limitations: More investigations should be made to assess the sustainability of this community-based suicide prevention effort in the long run. Conclusion: A community-based suicide prevention program was successfully implemented to address the suicide cluster. A reduction in the suicide rate was observed after the intervention.

Purpose: In response to the rising suicide trend in Hong Kong, the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention ("CSRP") was established in 2002, with the aim to capitalize on the collective impact of research-support practices to prevent suicides. Method: The CSRP has since become an international knowledge hub that applies a public health approach and innovative strategies to address suicide-related problems at multiple levels. Results: The CSRP actively engages in research, teaching, and knowledge exchange with community stakeholders. These effort are associated with Hong Kong's more than 30% reduction in suicide rates between 2003 and 2016. Discussion: The rationale for and examples of the CSRP's practices in face of the suicide prevention challenges lay ahead were also discussed. Conclusion: The outcomes of these practices, which hold great potential for suicide prevention worldwide, have contributed to important academic debates in the field of suicidology.

BACKGROUND There is a growing trend of promoting suicide prevention in YouTube, but it is yet to know the types and characteristics of videos that can engage the audience effectively. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine how YouTube was used and its impacts in response to the recent spate of student suicides in Hong Kong. METHODS We conducted content and network analyses on the videos’ impact metrics and studied the comments on the videos related to the student suicides during the 2015/2016 school year. RESULTS 162 relevant YouTube videos by seven types of stakeholders were identified. Those top and popular YouTubers disclosing personal experiences of overcoming suicide risk (Papageno effect) generated significantly greater impacts. The influential YouTubers’ suicide prevention videos attracted different groups of viewers and generated more interactions among their viewers. CONCLUSIONS Influential YouTubers’ self-disclosure videos have a larger impact on youth suicide prevention.