Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40911924›Full record

ArticleJMIR mental health2025

Characteristics of Suicidal Patients Who Engaged in Suicide-Related Internet Use in the United Kingdom: Cross-Sectional Survey Findings.

Lana Bojanić, Isabelle M Hunt, Saied Ibrahim, Pauline Turnbull, Sandra Flynn

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Online Searches for Gun-Related Harm.JAMA network open · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Lana BojanićUniversity of Manchester, 2nd Floor Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, England, M13 9PL, United Kingdom, +44 01612750709.ORCID 0000-0003-2067-2966
Isabelle M HuntUniversity of Manchester, 2nd Floor Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, England, M13 9PL, United Kingdom, +44 01612750709.ORCID 0000-0003-4875-8593
Saied IbrahimUniversity of Manchester, 2nd Floor Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, England, M13 9PL, United Kingdom, +44 01612750709.ORCID 0000-0002-2657-8834
Pauline TurnbullUniversity of Manchester, 2nd Floor Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, England, M13 9PL, United Kingdom, +44 01612750709.ORCID 0000-0003-0708-0608
Sandra FlynnUniversity of Manchester, 2nd Floor Jean McFarlane Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, England, M13 9PL, United Kingdom, +44 01612750709.ORCID 0000-0003-1413-0992

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Suicide-related internet use encompasses various web-based behaviors, including searching for suicide methods, sharing suicidal thoughts, and seeking help. Research suggests that suicide-related internet use is prevalent among people experiencing suicidality, but its characteristics among mental health patients remain underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to examine the sociodemographic, clinical, and suicidality-related characteristics of suicidal mental health patients who engage in suicide-related internet use compared with those who do not. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to December 2023, recruiting participants aged 18 years and older with recent contact with secondary mental health services in the United Kingdom. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and engagement in suicide-related internet use. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, Wilcoxon tests, and multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of engaging in suicide-related internet use. Results: Of 696 participants, 75% (522) engaged in suicide-related internet use in the past 12 months. Those who engaged in suicide-related internet use were almost 3 times as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (32.5% vs 9.2%, P<.001). They were more likely to have a diagnosis of personality disorder (34.4% vs 18.5%, P<.001) and to disclose suicidal thoughts to someone (87.8% vs 72.8%, P<.001). They also reported higher levels of suicidal ideation intensity (median =6.6 vs 5.1, P<.001). There were no significant sociodemographic differences between groups, including age. Conclusions: The findings suggest that suicide-related internet use is a common behavior among suicidal mental health patients across various age groups, challenging the notion that it is primarily a concern for younger populations. The association between suicide-related internet use and increased suicidality highlights the need for clinicians to incorporate discussions about web-based behaviors in suicide risk assessments. Given the high rate of disclosure of suicidal thoughts among suicide-related internet users, clinicians may have an opportunity to engage in open, nonjudgmental discussions about their patients' internet use.

Indexed as

InternetInternet UseSuicidal IdeationSuicide, AttemptedAdolescentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited KingdomYoung Adultmental health patientsmental illnessonline behavioursuicidalitysuicide preventionsuicide-related internet use

Identifiers

PMID40911924
PMCPMC12413185

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.