Attitudes of mental health vs. non-mental professionals towards patients presenting with attempted suicide: a comparative study

Background Suicide is a major public health problem. Clinicians attitudes can influence proper management and follow-up of patients who are at risk of repeated self harm.

Aims This study attempts to compare the attitudes of mental health and non-mental health workers towards patients who attempt suicide.

Methods We used an attitude questionnaire, used previously in another study from India, which looked at attitudes of emergency room clinicians towards suicide. The self administered questionnaire had 34 items with yes/no responses. The study sample included a group of 30 non mental health clinicians working in the Emergency Department. The comparison group consisted of a convenience sample of 30 mental health professionals. We carried out an exploratory factor analysis and identified six factors which described the data. The mean factor scores of the two groups were compared

Results The mental health professionals had significantly higher scores for factors 1,4 and 5 which indicate a positive attitude of mental health professionals towards dealing with the patients of attempted suicide compared to non mental health professionals.

Conclusions Training and education of non-mental health professionals must be carried out in order to change their attitude towards patients who attempt suicide and this will help in better management of these patients.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v2i2.4043

SLJPSYCH 2011; 2(2): 63-66