Grant: Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: Knowledge Translation

Suicide, one of the top ten causes of death worldwide, is a major public health concern. Almost 4,000 Canadians die by suicide each year, and many more deliberately self-harm. Borderline personality disorder (BPD), a chronic and debilitating mental health disorder that occurs in 2%-5% of the general population, is highly associated with suicidal and self harm behaviours. Approximately 69% - 80% of people with BPD have committed at least one act of self-harm. Historically, the treatment prognosis for this disorder was poor, but one of the most important developments in the past two decades has been emerging evidence that supports the effectiveness of various treatments. This proposal builds on our 8-year research program that contributes evidence to dispel the myth that BPD is untreatable. Our data support the clinical and cost effectiveness of two treatments for suicidal individuals diagnosed with BPD. However, despite recent research advancements, in actual clinical practice, few individuals with BPD receive evidenced-based treatments. A number of reasons account for this including: the dearth of specialized treatment services in Canada; health professionals are unaware of new research and lack adequate training; BPD is misunderstood and remains the most stigmatized psychiatric disorder. The objectives of this proposal are: 1) to assemble 10 to 15 clinical and research leaders in the field of BPD for the purpose of creating an action plan to develop a National Education Network; and 2) to develop a major research proposal that will evaluate the impact on healthcare providers of increasing awareness of BPD and effective treatments. Such a network will ultimately facilitate collaboration between consumers, families, educators, health-policy makers and health care providers and could significantly impact clinical practices and policy-making, as well as beliefs and expectations of BPD among both health care providers and the public.