Oral Presentation National Suicide Prevention Conference 2026

Evaluating ASIST training for suicide prevention in the veterinary community the AUSVETS study (131373)

Alena Gadoury 1 , Martin Hagger 1 2 3 4 , Kyra Hamilton 1 3 4 , Victoria Ross 5
  1. School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  2. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, USA
  3. Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
  4. Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, USA
  5. Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Veterinarians are a vulnerable and high-risk group for suicide, facing unique occupational stressors, access to lethal means, and stigma around help-seeking. Despite this, there is a critical gap of research on suicide prevention programs within the veterinary community and limited evidence-based recommendations specific to the profession.

This presentation introduces VetHerd, a suicide prevention initiative co-founded by Queensland veterinarians, and the AUSVETS Study, a three phase PhD project which includes a non-randomised pilot feasibility study evaluating the LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skille Training (ASIST) within the veterinary community. 

To ensure this program of research is grounded with real-world relevance, it was co-designed with the unique perspectives of a lived experience advocate group from the veterinary community. The lead researcher also brings personal insight, having experienced the loss of colleagues to suicide and navigated their own challenges with suicidality.

VetHerd is pioneering a MATES in Construction-inspired model (Gullestrup et al., 2011) for the veterinary community, utilising a multi-tiered approach to suicide prevention. This model is not only supporting those within the veterinary profession but also the broader community they serve to help (e.g., from pet owners and farmers to abattoir workers). In line with the public health model for - developing and evaluating suicide prevention interventions, preliminary data on the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of ASIST within the veterinary context will be discussed.

Data collected from June 2025 to early 2026 from veterinary community members who participated in the VetHerd-delivered ASIST course and individual interviews, will be analysed using a mixed methods approach. Using descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA, and thematic analysis, this is the first research to report a longitudinal evaluation of ASIST in the veterinary profession.

By sharing these preliminary findings, we hope to demonstrate the practical application of an established intervention within the public health framework (World Health Organisation, 2014), highlight the adaptability of existing suicide prevention approaches across workforce sectors, and underscore the importance of collaboration between government, industry and lived experience stakeholders. These findings are also expected to highlight the need for funded suicide prevention support within the veterinary community.

  1. Gullestrup, J., Lequertier, B., & Martin, G. (2011). MATES in Construction: Impact of a Multimodal, Community-Based Program for Suicide Prevention in the Construction Industry. International journal of environmental research and public health, 8(11), 4180-4196. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8114180
  2. World Health Organisation. (2014). Preventing suicide: a global imperative. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/131056