Suchergebnisse

Background: Community facilitators (CFs), such as pharmacists, policemen, teachers and clergy, may be an important community resource for patients with depression in addition to (mental) health professionals. However, they are ill prepared for such a role and little is known about their attitudes toward depression, which may affect practice. Aim: To investigate CFs' attitudes toward depression and compare them to those of (mental) health professionals and nurses. Method: Attitudes were assessed in participants ( n = 2,670) of training programmes about depression in nine countries of the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD). The EAAD questionnaire included attitudes toward depression and its treatment, perceived causes, preferred treatment options, and knowledge of depression symptoms. Results: CFs and nurses had a more negative attitude toward patients with depression and toward antidepressants, and more limited knowledge of depression symptoms than (mental) health professionals. CFs more frequently supported non-standard treatment for depression. Nurse assistants clearly differed from registered nurses with their attitudes being among the least favourable and their knowledge the most limited of all groups. Conclusions: CFs and nurses had less favourable attitudes and more limited knowledge regarding depression when compared to mental health professionals and doctors. This may negatively affect professional collaboration, challenge optimal treatment and stigmatize patients. CFs' and nurses' knowledge and attitudes may be similar to those of the general population and be related to a lack of training in mental health issues.

Background: Gatekeeper training for community facilitators, to identify and respond to those at risk of suicide, forms an important part of multi-level community-based suicide prevention programmes. Aims: This study examined the effects of gatekeeper training on attitudes, knowledge and confidence of police officers in dealing with persons at risk of suicide. Methods: A total of 828 police officers across three European regions participated in a 4-hour training programme which addressed the epidemiology of depression and suicidal behaviour, symptoms of depression, warning signs and risk factors associated with suicidal behaviour, motivating help-seeking behaviour, dealing with acute suicidal crisis and informing bereaved relatives. Participants completed internationally validated questionnaires assessing stigmatising attitudes, knowledge about depression and confidence in dealing with suicidal persons pre- and post-training. Results: There were significant differences among countries in terms of previous exposure to suicidal persons and extent of previous training. Post-training evaluation demonstrated significant improvements in stigmatising attitudes, knowledge and confidence in all three countries. Conclusion: The consistently positive effects of gatekeeper training of police officers across different regions support inclusion of this type of training as a fundamental part of multi-level community-based suicide prevention programmes and roll-out, nationally and internationally.

Background: Evidence-based best practices for incorporation into an optimal multilevel intervention for suicide prevention should be identifiable in the literature. Aims: To identify effective interventions for the prevention of suicidal behavior. Methods: Review of systematic reviews found in the Pubmed, Cochrane, and DARE databases. Steps include risk-of-bias assessment, data extraction, summarization of best practices, and identification of synergistic potentials of such practices in multilevel approaches. Results: Six relevant systematic reviews were found. Best practices identified as effective were as follows: training general practitioners (GPs) to recognize and treat depression and suicidality, improving accessibility of care for at-risk people, and restricting access to means of suicide. Although no outcomes were reported for multilevel interventions or for synergistic effects of multiple interventions applied together, indirect support was found for possible synergies in particular combinations of interventions within multilevel strategies. Conclusions: A number of evidence-based best practices for the prevention of suicide and suicide attempts were identified. Research is needed on the nature and extent of potential synergistic effects of various preventive activities within multilevel interventions.