Attitudes toward suicidal behaviour among professionals at mental health outpatient clinics in Stavropol, Russia and Oslo, Norway

Abstract

BackgroundAttitudes toward suicidal behaviour can be essential regarding whether patients seek or are offered help. Patients with suicidal behaviour are increasingly treated by mental health outpatient clinics. Our aim was to study attitudes among professionals at outpatient clinics in Stavropol, Russia and Oslo, Norway.MethodsThree hundred and forty-eight (82 %) professionals anonymously completed a questionnaire about attitudes. Professionals at outpatient clinics in Stavropol (n = 119; 94 %) and Oslo (n = 229; 77 %) were enrolled in the study. The Understanding Suicidal Patients (USP) scale (11 = positive to 55 = negative) and the Attitudes Towards Suicide Scale (ATTS) (1 = totally disagree, 5 = totally agree) were used. Questions about religious background, perceived competence and experiences of and views on suicidal behaviour and treatment (0 = totally disagree, 4 = totally agree) were examined.ResultsAll groups reported positive attitudes, with significant differences between Stavropol and Oslo (USP score, 21.8 vs 18.7; p < 0.001). Professionals from Stavropol vs. Oslo reported significantly less experience with suicidal patients, courses in suicide prevention (15 % vs 79 %) guidelines in suicidal prevention (23 % vs 90 %), interest for suicide prevention (2.0 vs 2.7; p < 0.001), and agreed more with the ATTS factors: avoidance of communication on suicide (3.1 vs 2.3; p < 0.001), suicide is acceptable (2.9 vs 2.6; p = 002), suicide is understandable (2.9 vs 2.7; p = 0.012) and (to a lesser extent) suicide can be prevented (4.2 vs 4.5; p < 0.001). In both cities, psychiatric disorders (3.4) were considered as the most important cause of suicide. Use of alcohol (2.2 vs 2.8; p < 0.001) was considered less important in Stavropol. Psychotherapy was considered significant more important in Stavropol than Oslo (3.6 vs 3.4; p = 0.001).ConclusionsProfessionals reported positive attitudes towards helping suicidal patients, with significant differences between cities. A need for further education was reported in both cities, but education was less integrated in mental health care in Stavropol than it was in Oslo. In both cities, psychiatric disorders were considered the major reasons for suicide, and psychotherapy was the most important treatment measure.

Attitudes of nursing students toward to the suicidal behavior

“…Qualified education and support for students and health professionals is important for improving suicide prevention 4 and is associated with more favorable attitudes related to suicidal behavior 13 - 17 . In the present study, only the reading materials on suicide were associated with better attitudes, which may be related to the size of the sample, the characteristics of the training strategies accessible to the students investigated, or the characteristics and individual experiences of those who are interested to read on the topic.…”

“…The literature reveals that Brazilian nursing students have low educational exposure related to suicide 7 , do not always read about suicide prevention on their own initiative, and prioritize revising subjects discussed in the undergraduate course tests 11 . It is important to discuss the approach to suicide prevention in a systematic way in undergraduate courses, as this is a frequent and impacting issue found in society 12 - 13 .…”

Attitudes towards suicidal behaviour and associated factors among nursing professionals: A quantitative study

“…Healthcare workers’ attitudes towards suicide may be associated with training, professional category, clinical and personal experiences, workplace, gender, religious beliefs and the working context. Professional training has been found to have a strong and positive association with favourable attitudes (Botega et al., , ; Bott, de Araujo, Costa, & Machado, ; Kishi et al., ; Moraes, Magrini, Zanetti, dos Santos, & Vedana, ; Norheim, Grimholt, Loskutova, & Ekeberg, ; Ramberg, Di Lucca, & Hadlaczky, ; da Silva Cais, da Silveira, Stefanello, & Botega, ). However, there are little available data regarding the subject, and the relationships between attitudes towards suicide and many factors remain unclear (Karman et al., ; Kelly et al., ; McCarthy & Gijbels, ; Santos et al., ).…”

Contact between patients with suicidal ideation and nurses in mental health wards: Development and psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire

“…2017), and psychologists might perceive suicide prevention less as a ‘duty’ and may have fewer condemning attitudes towards suicide (Norheim et al . 2016). Additionally, future research should aim to adapt the CoNuPaS for use across healthcare settings.…”