Reports Outline Health and Medicine Study Results from University of Texas San Antonio [Expanding the Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) Evidence Base: Youth Suicide Prevention among the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians].

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas San Antonio has found that youth suicide risks have been increasing or remaining consistently high for many years, with Native American communities being particularly vulnerable. The study focused on the evaluation of the Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) gatekeeper training program, which aims to train adults in identifying at-risk youth and referring them to mental health services. The results showed that the QPR training significantly improved the knowledge and skills of the trainees in prevention practices and risk identification. The study suggests that QPR can be an effective suicide prevention program for underserved minority communities, especially Native American populations in rural states where suicide rates are high. [Extracted from the article]