Abstract
Abstract Considering suicide is a public health problem, this study identified misconceptions about patients at risk of suicide as well as strategies to manage patients and their families, also verifying changes in conceptions and attitudes throughout graduation. We applied a questionnaire with five categories: “medical confidentiality,” “deontology,” “medical negligence,” “graduation,” and “myths and conceptions”. One hundred and twenty-six subjects participated in the research: 45 (35.7%) first-year medical students, 48 (38.1%) interns, and 33 (26.2%) doctors. The variables were analyzed, and the difference between groups was significant for 15 questions (62.5%). In one question (myths and conceptions) the answers were distant from the expected, and in two questions (myths and conceptions, deontology) the result did not give adequate information. We observed improvements at medical graduation for most of the studied aspects; among the deficiencies, we highlight those related to compulsory notification, electroconvulsive therapy, and the responsibility of doctors.
Highlights
Considering suicide is a public health problem, this study identified misconceptions about patients at risk of suicide as well as strategies to manage patients and their families, verifying changes in conceptions and attitudes throughout graduation
Suicide is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) 1 as the intentional taking of one’s own life; it is deadlier than some natural catastrophes and wars 2
According to the Brazilian Code of Medical Ethics 18, doctors must keep information they gain while performing their duties confidential, but in the case of imminent risk of death 2,18 the physician must communicate the fact to family members, that is, break the secrecy in order to preserve the patient’s life
Summary
Considering suicide is a public health problem, this study identified misconceptions about patients at risk of suicide as well as strategies to manage patients and their families, verifying changes in conceptions and attitudes throughout graduation. Considerando el suicidio como un problema de salud pública, este estudio identificó las concepciones erróneas sobre el tema, las estrategias para atender a los pacientes y sus familias y verificó los cambios en los conceptos y actitudes de estudiantes de medicina durante la graduación. Se observaron mejoras durante la graduación en la mayoría de los aspectos estudiados; entre las deficiencias, se destacaron la notificación obligatoria, la terapia electroconvulsiva y la responsabilidad del profesional médico. According to the Global Health Observatory Data Repository 5, in the same year, six deaths by suicide were recorded in Brazil for every 100 thousand inhabitants. Among women, this rate is 2.5/100 thousand and among men, 9.4/100 thousand. There are relevant expenses related to social protection and health care systems resulting from suicides and suicide attempts 8
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