Stay Alive research
Independent evaluation and research shows Stay Alive helps to keep people safe from suicide and increase help-seeking behaviour.
Learn more about the ongoing and past research around our pioneering app, and how our Lived Experience groups are helping to inform our development.
The Stay Alive app is underpinned by ongoing user testing with those with lived experience. From development and launch, all the way to designing and testing new features, these lived experience voices are vital and we value hearing from different backgrounds, professional settings and personal experiences.
Ongoing studies
We welcome independent studies into how effective Stay Alive is as a tool for suicide prevention and are happy to collaborate on studies of all sizes. Please contact the Stay Alive team if this interests you.
Lived experience
Lived experience of suicide is an essential part of Stay Alive app development, reinforcing clinical and frontline experience with the real experiences of users.
During development, extensive consultation took place on the content of the Stay Alive app. We held local focus groups with young people and LGBTQ adults with mental health problems, and a team of mental health professionals, along with an online survey.
Since launch, the app has gone through numerous iterations, with ongoing developments in response to user feedback and evaluation.
In 2023 (in partnership with Possability People) we developed and recruited Lived Experience Groups to formalise this unique and essential input to our work. The groups provide a direct line to potential, current and past app users (among other demographics) and are an important touchpoint between app development and user experience.
Find out more about the groups and how you can get involved on our Lived Experience Groups page.
Existing research
There have been several independent reviews and evaluations of the Stay Alive app. Below you can find brief summaries and links to find out more. See what other trusted organisations have to say about our award-winning app!
Stay Alive promotional campaign may have saved 10 lives
Middlesex University, 2024
Middlesex University has confirmed that Barnet Council’s Suicide Prevention Campaign, delivered in 2021, may have contributed to reducing suicide rates in the Borough.
The evaluation showed that Barnet saw a significant drop in suicide rates for the three months that the campaign was live and for a further six months following the campaign’s conclusion.
Aimed at working-aged men, the campaign aimed to reduce deaths by suicide and increase uptake of mental health support and services in Barnet by:
- Promotion of the Stay Alive app: Connecting those in crisis to vital resources and support.
- Digital and outdoor media campaign: Designed to raise awareness and encourage the use of the Stay Alive app.
- Community outreach: Targeted male-dominated construction industry to promote mental health support and training.
- Promotion of “Andy’s Man Club”: Barnet’s first peer-to-peer support group offering a safe space for men to discuss mental health issues.
The report highlights that this work may have contributed to saving up to 10 lives between October 2021 and June 2022.
Stay Alive helped 76% of users stay safe; 93% say it reduces stigma
Unity Insights, 2024Support from the National Lottery Digital Fund allowed us to continue our developments and updates of the app based on user feedback and testing.
At the end of the four-year period, an independent evaluation by Unity Insights showed that Stay Alive helped 76% of at-risk users to stay safe from suicide. Additionally, 93% of users felt the app reduced stigma of suicide through improved awareness, and 89% finding the app’s overall experience either ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Stay Alive gains score of 84% on mobile and 80% for the web-app version from app evaluator ORCHA
The Organisation for the Review of Health and Care Apps (ORCHA), 2023 – 2025
Stay Alive scores 84% on mobile and 80% for the web-app version, ranking it the 5th highest within the ‘suicide prevention’ category in ORCHA’s app library in 2025.
In 2023, benchmarking reports showed Stay Alive ranked 12th highest out of 57.
The Organisation for the Review of Health and Care Apps (ORCHA) assess digital products to ensure they are meeting key standards across three review domains:
- Data and privacy
- Professional assurance and clinical safety
- Usability and accessibility
Stay Alive praised for expanding suicide prevention support across languages and borders
Prevention of suicidal and self-harming behavior using mobile applications, Kiššova, 2023
Discussed at the International Scientific Conference on Criminology and Crime Prevention (Bratislava), Stay Alive was one of the suicide prevention apps reviewed based on six key features and functionalities:
- Education and awareness
- Possibility of use in offline mode
- Social support
- Access to experts
- Self-care tools
- Anonymity and security
Stay Alive was recognised as containing a wide range of tools for the person at risk and those supporting them, while ensuring the app was accessible for children and young people. Praised for being free and ad-free, the paper also noted the advantage in accessibility by supporting multiple language versions. This was seen as relatively rare in suicide prevention apps, and supports the strength and breadth of assistance to other countries.
Stay Alive is popular, portable, accessible, and effective for immediate support in crisis
Psychiatry International, Arowosegbe & Oyelade, 2023
In this article, it’s noted that mobile applications demonstrate significant potential in facilitating suicide prevention interventions due to their capacity to provide immediate support and interventions during critical moments and in real-life situations.
Stay Alive was regarded as being one of the most popular smartphone apps in the United Kingdom, and reviewed as a portable and accessible resource allowing users to get help when they need it.
Stay Alive highlighted as an example of suicide prevention in England and digital health marketing success
Health Scope, Jalilian et al, 2023
Mobile health applications are said to improve public health services and provide valuable information to patients and clinicians.
Featured in the article “Digital Health Marketing and Mobile Applications: A Neglected Priority in Iran’s Health Care System”, Stay Alive was recognised for its role in suicide prevention and digital health innovation.
Stay Alive is an effective way to reach people who may not use conventional services, bridging the gap to support systems
Recenti Progressi in Medicina, Pirola et al, 2022
The study recognised Internet and Mobile-based Interventions as a flexible, evidence-based alternative to traditional treatments for reducing suicidal ideation and behaviours.
Stay Alive was highlighted as an effective way to reach people who may not use conventional services, acting as a bridge to local, national, and international support systems. Researchers concluded that IMIs like Stay Alive can play a vital role in suicide prevention, and called for further research and future implementation in Italy.
76% of at-risk individuals stayed safe after using the app
Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network, 2020An independent evaluation report from the Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network showed the app helped 76% of at-risk users to stay safe from suicide, and helped 89% of people find further support.
The upgrade and evaluation were funded by the Crisis Care Concordat – Beyond Places of Safety scheme from the Department of Health & Social Care.
Stay Alive identified as one of the few suicide prevention apps with all six recommended suicide prevention strategies
Bio-Central Medicine, Martinengo et al, 2019A comprehensive evaluation of depression and suicide prevention apps from Google Play and Apple’s App Store was conducted, identifying 2,690 apps through specific search terms. Of these, 69 met the inclusion criteria for assessment.
Of the 69 reviewed, only 5 apps (7%) were found to include all six evidence-based suicide prevention strategies. Stay Alive was one of the five, demonstrating the app’s dedication to providing quality and safety assurance in areas that other apps did not.
Stay Alive is a resource that can foster wellness and reduce burnout, depression, and suicide risk among healthcare workers
Association for Academic Psychiatry, Pospos et al, 2018
Healthcare professionals often face significant psychological challenges, yet many don’t seek help due to barriers like confidentiality concerns and stigma.
Stay Alive was one of seven resources chosen to enhance techniques for coping with stressors for healthcare students and professionals.
Web-based and mobile applications have been shown to mitigate stress, burnout, depression and suicidal ideation among several populations and may circumvent these barriers. In this study, published data on various resources was reviewed and a small sample that can readily be used by healthcare providers was selected.
Stay Alive has contributed to preventing 73 suicide attempts
Daniel Flecknoe, Specialty Registrar in Public Health, 2016The piece of research highlighted the potential of smartphone apps in overcoming barriers like stigma, judgment and autonomy loss in accessing mental health help. Stay Alive was identified as having contributed to preventing 73 suicide attempts.
The evaluation called for further review of existing apps and the development of new ones to meet evolving needs in this growing field of public mental health interventions.
Stay Alive recognised for its high overall quality, providing comprehensive information for both those at risk and those seeking to support others
BoysTown, 2015
In the discussion paper Preventing Suicide by Young People, suicide-related mobile app interventions were reviewed.
Stay Alive was highlighted as being one of few apps to provide very comprehensive information for both those at risk and those seeking to support others and included one of the most comprehensive suites of tools and resources.
This led to Stay Alive being recognised as one of three apps (out of 25 reviewed) that stood out for their high overall quality.
Want to know more?
If you would like to partner with us on a campaign, start a piece of research, help to fund app development, book us to come and talk about Stay Alive or enquire about other ways to support this incredible resource, please get in touch below.
You can find more about the app’s features and tools on the About Stay Alive page.
If you want to access the app, you can download Stay Alive on mobile or tablet or visit Stay Alive online on your phone, tablet, computer or laptop.