Matthew J Spittal
Biographic Data
| ID | 327944 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Matthew J Spittal |
| GIVEN NAMES | Matthew J |
| FAMILY NAME | Spittal |
| SIGNATURE | SPITTAL M J |
| AFFILIATIONS | The University of Melbourne |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2841-1536 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 53 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 52 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 53 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2007 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Validation and adaptation of the Suicide Stigma Assessment Scale for use with young adults in India
How do Australian social media users experience self-harm and suicide-related content? A National cross-sectional survey comparing young people and adults
Rates of self-harm and suicide appear to be increasing in young people and many attribute this to social media use. However, high quality studies examining young people’s experiences of self-harm and suicide-related content on social media, and the impact on wellbeing, are lacking. An online national cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2024. Quota sampling was used. Participants from across Australia were recruited from…
Boys Do Cry
ANZCTR No. 2,621,001,008,819. Registered 30 July 2021
Trends in suicide among adolescents aged 14–17 years in India
This study investigates the epidemiology of adolescent suicide in India, addressing the limited research on the subject. Data on adolescent suicide (14–17 years) by sex and state were obtained from the National Crimes Records Bureau for 2014–2019, which included acquiring unpublished data from 2016 to 2019. Crude suicide rates for the period 2014–2019 were calculated by sex and state. Rate ratios (RRs) by sex and state were also calculated to ass…
School absenteeism for children exposed to maternal incarceration and other adversities
Early life exposure to maternal incarceration is associated with absenteeism • The experience of multiple adversities confers an even greater risk to absenteeism. • Out-of-home-care placement is associated with decreased odds of absenteeism. • Effects of adversity exposures on absenteeism are strongest for adolescent children
Neonatal abstinence syndrome and other neonatal outcomes for the infants of women experiencing incarceration
Substance use during pregnancy is associated with poor neonatal outcomes. Women incarcerated during pregnancy may have a history of substance use, and their babies may be at risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). This study examines the incidence of NAS and other outcomes in infants born to currently or formerly incarcerated women. Infants born between 1985 and 2011 in Western Australia were divided into three mutually exclusive groups: born…
Numeracy and literacy attainment of children exposed to maternal incarceration and other adversities
Parental incarceration has been associated with educational disadvantages for children, such as lower educational attainment, increased grade retention, and truancy and suspensions. However, children exposed to parental incarceration often experience other adversities that are also associated with educational disadvantage; the contribution of these co-occurring adversities has not been considered in previous research. This study aimed to investig…
The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic and Lockdowns on Self-Poisoning and Suicide in Sri Lanka
Evidence from high-income countries suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on suicide and self-harm has been limited, but evidence from low- and middle-income countries is lacking. Using data from a hospital-based self-poisoning register (January 2019-December 2021) and data from national records (2016-2021) of suicide in Sri Lanka, we aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on both self-poisoning and suicide. We examined changes in admissions f…
Use of Parental Disability Trajectories to Identify Adolescents Who are Young Carers
Being a young carer can have significant impacts on the lives of children and adolescents. Identifying young carers is difficult, making the provision of support challenging for service providers. This sample contained 4464 Australian children/adolescents across 11 years (49% female, aged 6/7 years at baseline, and 16/17 years at final wave). Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to examine parental disability trajectories across 5 waves of…
I'm Really Glad that You're Doing this Research'. Qualitative Research Involving Doctors With Lived Experience of Mental Health or Substance Use Challenges in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand
Background Doctors with a history of mental health or substance use challenges face barriers accessing treatment and are difficult to recruit for research. This makes understanding their experiences challenging, yet essential. Overcoming barriers to research participation among unwell doctors is critical to advancing their overall health and wellbeing. Methods A qualitative interview study of 21 allegedly impaired doctors in Australia and Aotearo…
Violence‐related morbidity among people released from prison in Australia
Employment and disability among young Australians and associations with psychological distress during the Covid-19 pandemic
Young Australians in general may benefit from additional supports to improve their employment and mental health outcomes. Young people with disabilities may particularly benefit from targeted supports to gain and maintain employment and improve mental health
Suicide among those who use mental health services
Suicide decedents had less contact with mental health services than non-decedents; however, evidence suggests suicide decedents reach out to mental health services proximal to suicide. An increase in mental health service contact by an individual could be an indication of suicide risk and therefore an opportunity for intervention. Further, community level contact should be further explored as a possible prevention mechanism considering the majori…
Suicide trends in the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic
Patterns of Suicide in the Context of Covid-19
Aims: We aimed to determine whether there has been a change in the number of suicides occurring in three Australian states overall, and in age and sex subgroups, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and to see if certain risk factors for suicide have become more prominent as likely underlying contributing factors for suicide. Method: Using real-time data from three state-based suicide registers, we ran multiple unadjusted and adjusted interrupted t…
Employment Transitions and Mental Health in a Cohort of 45 Years and Older Australians
Background: This study investigated the associations between employment transitions and psychological distress among a cohort of 45 years and older Australians. Methods: This study was based on the 45 and Up Study, a large prospective cohort of participants aged 45 years and older (N = 267,153), followed up over the period 2006-2015. The risk of psychological distress was compared between various employment transitions categories by specifying an…
A Pilot Case-Control Study of the Social Media Activity Following Cluster and Non-Cluster Suicides in Australia
Social media may play a role in the "contagion" mechanism thought to underpin suicide clusters. Our pilot case-control study presented a novel methodological approach to examining whether Facebook activity following cluster and non-cluster suicides differed. We used a scan statistic to identify suicide cluster cases occurring in spatiotemporal clusters and matched each case to 10 non-cluster control suicides. We identified the Facebook accounts o…
Circumstances and toxicology of violence-related deaths among young people who have had contact with the youth justice system
Therapeutic alcohol and other drug programs, both in the community and detention, are likely important for reducing violence-related deaths among young people who have had contact with the youth justice system. The majority of violence-related deaths among women were in the context of intimate partner violence, indicating the urgent need for interventions that prevent intimate partner violence in this population. Diversion programs and increased …
Association between suicide reporting in the media and suicide
Development of a Self-Harm Monitoring System for Victoria
The prevention of suicide and suicide-related behaviour are key policy priorities in Australia and internationally. The World Health Organization has recommended that member states develop self-harm surveillance systems as part of their suicide prevention efforts. This is also a priority under Australia's Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. The aim of this paper is to describe the development of a state-based self-harm monit…
All-cause mortality and the time-varying effects of psychosocial work stressors
Helping actions given and received in response to suicide risk
We conducted a nationally representative telephone survey of 3000 Australian adults. We assessed helping responses toward people in severe distress and experiencing suicidal thoughts by asking whether respondents had undertaken 15 specified helping actions (10 recommended and 5 non-recommended actions) to support such a person. We also asked respondents who had experienced suicidal ideation in the last 12 months whether the most helpful person at…
Prevention and Recovery Care Services in Australia
Aims: Community-based residential alternatives to hospitalization are an emerging service model. Evidence for their acceptability and effectiveness is promising but limited. Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) services are one such residential model, offering short-term subacute treatment and care (usually between 7 and 28 days). PARC services in Victoria, Australia, are designed to support consumers with severe mental illness to either avoid a p…
Are young female suicides increasing? A comparison of sex-specific rates and characteristics of youth suicides in Australia over 2004–2014
We showed that suicide rates among young females, but not young males, increased over the study period. Patterns were observed in the use of major suicide methods with hanging the most frequently used method among both sexes and more likely among younger and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander groups. Findings highlight the need to broaden current conceptualizations of youth suicide to one increasingly involving young females, and strengthen the ca…
Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Mental Health and Substance Use in Young Men in Emerging Adulthood
Emerging adulthood is a neglected phase of the life course in health research. Health problems and risk behaviors at this time of life can have long-term consequences for health. The 2016 Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing reported that the influence of socioeconomic factors was under-researched among adolescents and young adults. Moreover, the influence of socioeconomic factors on health has been little researched specifically …
Impact of Tobacco Control Policies and Mass Media Campaigns on Monthly Adult Smoking Prevalence
Objectives. We sought to assess the impact of several tobacco control policies and televised antismoking advertising on adult smoking prevalence. Methods. We used a population survey in which smoking prevalence was measured each month from 1995 through 2006. Time-series analysis assessed the effect on smoking prevalence of televised antismoking advertising (with gross audience rating points [GRPs] per month), cigarette costliness, monthly sales o…
Spatial analysis of suicide mortality in Australia
Antismoking television advertising and socioeconomic variations in calls to Quitline
Objective: To assess the socioeconomic variations in call rates to the Quitline (Victoria, Australia) and in the impact of anti-tobacco television advertising on call rates. Design: The outcome measure was the number of calls to the Quitline in Victoria for each week for each socioeconomic group for the period January 2001 to March 2004. Socioeconomic status (SES) was derived from the caller’s postcode using the Index of Socioeconomic Disadvantag…
All-cause mortality and the time-varying effects of psychosocial work stressors
Low-intensity case management increases contact with primary care in recently released prisoners
BACKGROUND: The world prison population is large and growing. Poor health outcomes after release from prison are common, but few programmes to improve health outcomes for ex-prisoners have been rigorously evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of individualised case management on contact with health services during the first 6 months post-release. METHODS: Single-blinded, randomised, controlled trial. Baseline assessment with…
Suicide in adults released from prison in Queensland, Australia
BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated elevated mortality following release from prison. We contrasted the risk of opioid overdose death with the risk of suicide in a cohort of adults released from prison in Queensland, Australia over a 14-year-period. We examine risk factors for suicide in the cohort, and make comparisons with the general population. METHOD: We constructed a retrospective cohort of all adults released from prison between…
Association of Smoking Cessation With Financial Stress and Material Well-Being
Objectives. We used 4 waves of prospective data to examine the association of smoking cessation with financial stress and material well-being. Methods. Data (n = 5699 at baseline) came from 4 consecutive waves (2001–2005) of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. We used mixed models to examine the participant-specific association of smoking cessation with financial stress and material well-being. Results. On average, a smo…
School absenteeism for children exposed to maternal incarceration and other adversities
Early life exposure to maternal incarceration is associated with absenteeism • The experience of multiple adversities confers an even greater risk to absenteeism. • Out-of-home-care placement is associated with decreased odds of absenteeism. • Effects of adversity exposures on absenteeism are strongest for adolescent children
Can Watching a Television Documentary Change the Way Men View Masculinity
Men’s conformity to masculine norms, such as stoicism and self-reliance, has been shown to be associated with a range of negative psychological outcomes. We developed Man Up—a three-part documentary that examined the link between masculinity, mental health, and suicide for men in Australia. We conducted a multifaceted evaluation that included a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a web survey. RCT participants and web survey respondents were as…
Can a documentary increase help-seeking intentions in men? A randomised controlled trial
Background We investigated whether a public health intervention—a three-part documentary called Man Up which explored the relationship between masculinity and mental health, well-being and suicidality—could increase men’s intentions to seek help for personal and emotional problems. Methods We recruited men aged 18 years or over who were not at risk of suicide to participate in a double-blind randomised controlled trial. Participants were randomly…
Does Gender Explain the Relationship Between Occupation and Suicide? Findings from a Meta-Analytic Study
Predictors of suicides occurring within suicide clusters in Australia, 2004-2008
Antismoking television advertising and socioeconomic variations in calls to Quitline
Objective: To assess the socioeconomic variations in call rates to the Quitline (Victoria, Australia) and in the impact of anti-tobacco television advertising on call rates. Design: The outcome measure was the number of calls to the Quitline in Victoria for each week for each socioeconomic group for the period January 2001 to March 2004. Socioeconomic status (SES) was derived from the caller’s postcode using the Index of Socioeconomic Disadvantag…
Association of Smoking Cessation With Financial Stress and Material Well-Being
Objectives. We used 4 waves of prospective data to examine the association of smoking cessation with financial stress and material well-being. Methods. Data (n = 5699 at baseline) came from 4 consecutive waves (2001–2005) of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. We used mixed models to examine the participant-specific association of smoking cessation with financial stress and material well-being. Results. On average, a smo…
Happiness and Life Satisfaction Prospectively Predict Self-Rated Health, Physical Health, and the Presence of Limiting, Long-Term Health Conditions
PURPOSE: To examine the effect of happiness and life satisfaction on health. DESIGN: Longitudinal data from waves 1 and 3, conducted in 2001 and 2004, respectively, of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. SETTING: Australia. SUBJECTS: A total of 9981 respondents aged 18 years and older. MEASURES: Outcomes were self-reported health; the absence of long-term, limiting health conditions; and physical health. Happiness was as…
Impact of Tobacco Control Policies and Mass Media Campaigns on Monthly Adult Smoking Prevalence
Objectives. We sought to assess the impact of several tobacco control policies and televised antismoking advertising on adult smoking prevalence. Methods. We used a population survey in which smoking prevalence was measured each month from 1995 through 2006. Time-series analysis assessed the effect on smoking prevalence of televised antismoking advertising (with gross audience rating points [GRPs] per month), cigarette costliness, monthly sales o…
Secondhand smoke exposure (PM 2.5 ) in outdoor dining areas and its correlates
When individuals sit in outdoor dining venues where smokers are present it is possible that they will be exposed to substantial SHS levels. Significant increases in exposure were observed when monitors were located under overhead covers, and as the number of nearby smokers increased. The role of outdoor smoking restrictions in minimising exposure to SHS must be considered
Geographic variation in inquest rates in Australia
Spatial analysis of suicide mortality in Australia
Suicide by occupation
Opiate substitution treatment to reduce in-prison drug injection
Does Litigation Increase or Decrease Health Care Quality
BACKGROUND: The tort system is supposed to help improve the quality and safety of health care, but whether it actually does so is controversial. Most previous studies modeling the effect of negligence litigation on quality of care are ecologic. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the experience of being sued and incurring litigation costs affects the quality of care subsequently delivered in nursing homes. RESEARCH DESIGN, SUBJECTS, MEASURES: We linked …
Suicide in adults released from prison in Queensland, Australia
BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated elevated mortality following release from prison. We contrasted the risk of opioid overdose death with the risk of suicide in a cohort of adults released from prison in Queensland, Australia over a 14-year-period. We examine risk factors for suicide in the cohort, and make comparisons with the general population. METHOD: We constructed a retrospective cohort of all adults released from prison between…
Predictors of suicides occurring within suicide clusters in Australia, 2004-2008
Health-related factors predict return to custody in a large cohort of ex-prisoners
Numerous poor health outcomes have been documented in the world’s large and growing population of prisoners and ex-prisoners. Repeat justice involvement and incarceration is normative for ex-prisoners in most countries. This study aimed to identify important health-related predictors of re-incarceration and to quantify their contribution to predicting re-incarceration. Participants were 1 325 adult ex-prisoners in Queensland, Australia. We develo…
The Australian longitudinal study on male health sampling design and survey weighting
The extent to which the Ten to Men sampling design is accounted for in any analysis of the baseline data will depend on the research question. When the goals of the analysis are to estimate the prevalence of a disease or risk factor in the population or the magnitude of a population-level exposure-outcome association, our advice is to adopt an analysis that respects the sampling design
Why do men go to the doctor? Socio-demographic and lifestyle factors associated with healthcare utilisation among a cohort of Australian men
The majority of men (61 %) did not engage in regular health check-up visits, representing a missed opportunity for preventative health care discussions. Lower consultation rates may translate into lost opportunities to detect and intervene with problems early and this is where men may be missing out compared to women
Life stress and suicidal ideation in Australian men – cross-sectional analysis of the Australian longitudinal study on male health baseline data
Life events appear to be related to suicidal ideation independent of depression, anxiety and harmful alcohol use in adult males, however if life events occur in the context of depression that risk is substantially increased
The Australian longitudinal study on male health-methods
Ten to Men is a unique resource for investigating male health and wellbeing. Wave 1 data are available for approved research projects
Age Matters
The importance of addressing health disparities experienced by boys and men reached tangible prominence in Australia with adoption of the 2010 National Male Health Policy and the establishment of a national longitudinal study on male health-Ten to Men. Ten to Men is based on a holistic model of health with a strong focus on social determinants and health and well-being over the life course. Given the life course focus, we set out to assess if hea…
Low-intensity case management increases contact with primary care in recently released prisoners
BACKGROUND: The world prison population is large and growing. Poor health outcomes after release from prison are common, but few programmes to improve health outcomes for ex-prisoners have been rigorously evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of individualised case management on contact with health services during the first 6 months post-release. METHODS: Single-blinded, randomised, controlled trial. Baseline assessment with…
Does Gender Explain the Relationship Between Occupation and Suicide? Findings from a Meta-Analytic Study
Low Control and High Demands at Work as Risk Factors for Suicide
OBJECTIVE: Previous research suggests that psychosocial job stressors may be plausible risk factors for suicide. This study assessed the relationship between psychosocial job stressors and suicide mortality across the Australian population. METHODS: We developed a job exposure matrix to objectively measure job stressors across the working population. Suicide data came from a nationwide coronial register. Living controls were selected from a natio…
Socio-Economic Position and Suicidal Ideation in Men
People in low socio-economic positions are over-represented in suicide statistics and are at heightened risk for non-fatal suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Few studies have tried to tease out the relationship between individual-level and area-level socio-economic position, however. We used data from Ten to Men (the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health) to investigate the relationship between individual-level and area-level socio-economic…
Use of prescribed smoking cessation pharmacotherapy following release from prison
Despite a very high rate of tobacco use among people cycling through prisons and the very low cost of (subsidised) SCP in Australia, few ex-prisoners obtain pharmaceutical assistance with quitting smoking. Policy attention needs to focus on supporting former prisoners to access SCP, to reduce the high rate of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in this profoundly marginalised population
Cluster Suicides Among Unemployed Persons in Australia Over the Period 2001–2013
Can Watching a Television Documentary Change the Way Men View Masculinity
Men’s conformity to masculine norms, such as stoicism and self-reliance, has been shown to be associated with a range of negative psychological outcomes. We developed Man Up—a three-part documentary that examined the link between masculinity, mental health, and suicide for men in Australia. We conducted a multifaceted evaluation that included a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a web survey. RCT participants and web survey respondents were as…
Medicine (47 works) · Demography (30 works) · Psychiatry (29 works) · Psychology (29 works) · Environmental health (26 works) · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies (21 works) · Poison control (20 works) · Suicide prevention (20 works) · Demography (18 works) · Population (17 works)