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

BMC Psychiatry

Research Article

Astrid Berge Norheim¹  Oivind Ekeberg²  Ekaterina Loskutova³  Tine K. Grimholt⁴ 

[1]Diakonhjemmet hospital, Postboks 23, 0319, Vinderen, Oslo, Norway

[2]Regional Centre of Violence Traumatic stress and suicide Prevention Eastern Norway, RVTS-East, Postboks 4623, 0405, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway

[3]Division of Mental Health and Addicion, Oslo University Hospital, Box 4956, 0424, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway

[4]Department of Behavioral Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Oslo, Pb 10/2 Blindern, N-0316, Oslo, Norway

[5]Ekaterina Loskutova, ProPsy, Lermontova str. 239/4, ofice 18, 355041, Stavropol, Russia

[6]Regional Centre of Violence Traumatic stress and suicide Prevention Eastern Norway, RVTS-East, Postboks 4623, 0405, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway

[7]Department of Acute Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Ullevål, Pb 4965, 0424, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway

关键词: Attitudes;    Health professionals;    Mental health;    Suicide;    Suicidal behaviour;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-016-0976-5

 received in 2015-09-22, accepted in 2016-06-13,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

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.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016