Efficacy of synchronous remote-based interventions on suicidal behaviours: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Abstract Background Suicide is among the leading causes of preventable death worldwide. The impact of suicide affects personal, social, and economic level. Therefore, its prevention is a priority for public health systems. Previous studies seem to support the efficacy of providing active contact to persons who have made a suicide attempt. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the efficacy of distance suicide prevention strategies implemented through synchronous technology-based interventions. Methods This protocol is designed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). The bibliographic searches will be conducted in the databases MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science until April 2022, with no restrictions on the publication period and limited to publications in English or Spanish. Two reviewers will independently conduct study screening, selection process, data extraction, risk of bias (RoB), and methodological quality assessment. Conclusions Telematics suicide prevention has been an emergent field for years, although there is currently no evidence that synthesises the efficacy of synchronous remote-based interventions. This protocol outlines the methods of a planned research that will extend knowledge derived from the current available evidence. It will provide guidance to clinical practice and encourage further research. Systematic review registration This protocol has been registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), under the identification number CRD42021275044.