Background: Translating research into policy and practice is a well-established challenge, with some estimates suggesting it takes over 17 years for research innovations to be adopted. In suicide prevention, the delayed adoption of research into policy and practice wastes limited resources and reduces potential benefits to people and communities. Developing ways to share research findings in formats that are accessible and valuable to those working in suicide prevention is crucial.
Objective: This research aimed to understand what the Australian suicide prevention sector needs to better use research findings in their work.
Method: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 93 participants from a range of roles in the mental health and suicide prevention sector. This included Primary Health Networks, non-clinical services or practices, non-government organisations, clinical services or practice, and government departments. The survey explored people’s research skills, preferred types of content, preferred ways to access knowledge, preferred tools formats, and perceived barriers and enablers of using research in their role.
Results: Participants had wide-ranging research skills. Traditional channels for knowledge consumption were preferred, such as conferences, webinars, eNewsletters, and plain language summaries. Tools to communicate research findings should be developed and disseminated to meet the needs of key stakeholder groups. Participants identified that limited time, funding and resources, and research not being supported by lived experience were key barriers to applying research in suicide prevention.
Conclusion: These findings offer a clear and actionable message: we do not need to reinvent the wheel, but we do need to meet people where they are, in the formats and spaces they already trust. In the spirit of United Voices, Brighter Futures, this research calls on advocates, researchers, service providers, and policymakers to work in genuine partnership to bridge the knowledge-to-practice gap. When we share evidence in ways that are accessible, meaningful, and grounded in lived experience, we move closer to a future with strengthened suicide prevention and improved wellbeing of people and communities.