Contents

Resources

Physician/Hospital Staff Education

Youth in psychological distress often present themselves to their family physicians and many also show up at hospital emergency departments in times of crisis. Ensuring that the medical and nursing staff who deal with these young people and their parents are equipped with the best possible information regarding how to assess and minimize risks for self-harm is the cornerstone of this strategy.

Two distinct educational efforts aimed at health professionals have been promoted in the suicide prevention literature: (1) education and training for general practitioners (GPs) regarding the recognition and management of depression and suicidal ideation and (2) education and training for hospital emergency department staff regarding the importance of including means restriction education to parents and adult caregivers of suicidal youth.

Physician Education

  • GPs are a logical target for ongoing education and training in the recognition and treatment of youth depression and suicide as many young people visit their GPs when they are in emotional distress.
  • Any appointment with a young person should be treated as an opportunity to explore psychological factors beyond the presenting complaint.
  • Limited evidence suggests that GPs can increase their knowledge and improve their practices in the recognition and treatment of depression which can have an effect on overall suicide rates, although the specific effects on youth depression and suicide have not yet been established. 37 38
  • Training efforts need to be repeated on a regular basis.

Training for Emergency Department Personnel

  • Many suicidal youth show up at hospital emergency departments and further risks for suicidal behaviour can be reduced if parents/caregivers of these youth receive education on means restriction from trained hospital emergency department staff.
  • Knowledge gains among health professionals can be achieved through a simple mail out campaign, but a more interactive educational session is more likely to have a greater impact on their actual practice. 39

Implementation Ideas and Tools

The British Columbia Ministry of Health in partnership with the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions (CARMA) recently produced a series of resources to support suicide prevention activities, including Working With the Suicidal Patient: A Guide for Health Care Professionals available from the CARMA web site.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center has assembled customized information for specific target audiences including primary care physicians.

For a list of resources relevant to physician education/hospital emergency staff education, click here.