Health professionals' attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives

Abstract

Preventing suicide can depend upon the ability of a range of different health professionals to make accurate suicide risk assessments and treatment plans. The attitudes that clinicians hold towards suicide prevention initiatives may influence their suicide risk assessment and management skills. This study measures a group of non-mental health professionals' attitude towards suicide prevention initiatives. Health professionals that had attended suicide prevention education showed significantly more positive attitudes towards suicide prevention initiatives. The findings in this study further support the effectiveness of educating non-mental health professionals in suicide risk awareness and management.

Suicide Assessment by Psychiatric Nurses: A Phenomenographic Study

“…Attitudes towards suicide, perceptions of suicide, clinical experiences, and context influence the assessment process (Brunero et al, 2008;Clarke, Brow, & Giles-Smith, 2008). The complexity of suicide assessment is further compounded by clinical time constraints, decreased time available to develop a therapeutic trusting relationship, limited use of clinical (vs. research) assessment instruments, clinician knowledge deficits, and uneasiness asking direct questions (Sun, Long, Bone, & Tsao, 2006).…”

“…Preventing suicide depends on a number of factors including the health professionals' ability to make an accurate assessment (Brunero, Smith, Bates, & Fairbrother, 2008). Attitudes towards suicide, perceptions of suicide, clinical experiences, and context influence the assessment process (Brunero et al, 2008;Clarke, Brow, & Giles-Smith, 2008).…”

Nursing students′ attitude toward suicide prevention

“…Repeated suicide attempters, who have the highest risk for subsequent suicide attempts, face the most unfavorable attitude of health professionals. [45] Consequently health professionals’ attitude influences their skills to assess and manage suicide risk[6] as well as the quality and impact of care. [7]…”

“…[61718] With our best efforts we could not find any of such study from India. Health professionals’ awareness, attitude, and skill regarding suicide risk assessment and management are reported to be of paramount importance in achieving successful suicide prevention.…”

Staff attitudes towards inpatients with borderline personality disorder

“…It is thought that personal experience with suicide or self harm will result in a better attitude towards it (Brunero et al 2008). It is possible that the attitude of nurses could be due to the inevitable stress of working on a high intensity ward for a long period of time.…”