Data Analytics

HKU Centre of Suicide Research & Prevention (CSRP)

Introduction

Established in 2002, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, based at Hong Kong University, is a unique multidisciplinary research centre. The centre is dedicated to generating, disseminating and applying knowledge and skills for suicide prevention, through research, training and resource production.

The ultimate goal of the CSRP is to reduce the number of suicides by contributing to the formulation of social and health policies in dealing with the problem of suicide in a public health approach.

“We were spending a lot of time collecting all kinds of suicide information. This was not only extremely time-consuming but, worryingly, from a scientific and research point of view, suffering from data incompleteness.”

Chico Xu, CSRP Data Analyst

Challenge

The centre has been building, testing and using its early warning system since 2018, as part of a project supported by the Quality Education Fund and Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, looking at the early identification and intervention of youth suicide clusters in Hong Kong. The system uses machine learning and big data analytics to estimate the number of suicide cases and identify groups with high suicide risks. This information is then made available to educators, social workers, and the government and is used to raise public awareness about suicide concerns.

Solution

CSRP chose an all-in-one subscription with Meltwater, giving it access to media monitoring and social listening which has transformed the amount and kinds of data collected. CSRP’s Data Analyst, Chico said Meltwater’s platforms had “greatly enhanced our ability to capture the real-time trends and insights into suicide in Hong Kong”.

“Furthermore, it has improved our suicide now-casting model, by constantly feeding inclusive and representative data sources into our machine-learning algorithm.”

The CSRP uses a Meltwater API and customised solutions to import the relevant data into their early warning system on a daily basis.

“Most importantly, by publishing those key data and results to our target audience with the help of Meltwater, we can empower education professionals, social workers, academics and the government with warnings and information, so we can build a more caring and supportive community.”

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