Design of a suicide prevention advertising strategy among adolescents

OBJECTIVE: This article aims to describe the process of designing and evaluating the effectiveness of a communication strategy for the prevention of adolescent suicide among peers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out in four phases: 1) identification of needs among adolescents, 2) design of the communication strategy, 3) review of content and graphic materials by experts, and 4) piloting and evaluating effectiveness. RESULTS: The identified needs were grouped into categories: 1) Identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior, in one's own and one's peers; 2) know what to do; 3) know where and how to ask for help; and 4) reduce the stigma of professional mental health care. Key content and messages were developed for the first three categories through the acronym "ESA" (By its acronym in Spanish, Listen to the warning signs, Not Only, and Professional Help), aimed at adolescents from 10 to 19 years old. The graphic identity was based on three characters and an ideologue. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of a communication campaign was developed and tested to raise awareness among adolescents about suicidal behaviors to seek help for themselves and their peers and to reduce the stigma towards suicide and mental health problems in adolescents.