Research protocol for a digital intervention to reduce stigma among males with a personal experience of suicide in the Australian farming community.
BACKGROUND
Australian farming communities have up to twice the suicide rate of the general population. Men, particularly, demonstrate debilitating self- and perceived-stigma associated with an experience of suicide. The Ripple Effect is aimed to reduce suicide stigma within the social, cultural, geographical and psychological contexts in which it occurs.


METHODS
A mixed-method design with multi-level evaluation will be effected following the development and delivery of a personalised website experience (combining shared stories, education, personal goal setting and links to resources) to farming men, aged 30-64 years, with an experience of suicide. Pre- and post-surveys will be used to assess changes in self- and perceived-stigma and suicide literacy. Online feedback from participants and semi-structured interviews during follow-up will be thematically analysed.


DISCUSSION
This project will provide information about increasingly accessible, innovative approaches to reducing the debilitating health and wellbeing effects of suicide stigma on a population of Australia's farmers.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
This research protocol was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) (ACTRN: ACTRN12616000289415 ) on 7th March, 2016.
['Kennedy|Alison J|AJ|', 'Versace|Vincent Lawrence|VL|', 'Brumby|Susan A|SA|']
D000328:Adult D000383:Agriculture D005260:Female D006266:Health Education D006801:Humans D020407:Internet D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009520:New Zealand D057545:Social Stigma D013405:Suicide D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D016896:Treatment Outcome
Digital intervention Stigma Suicide Men Australia Farmer health Mental health Mixed method research Rural health