SafeTALK suicide training: An evaluation of attitudes and actions among medical students

Brooke Wilson,Eva Neufeld

doi:10.2218/resmedica.v24i1.1538

Abstract

Background: SafeTALK is a half-day gatekeeper training program on recognizing persons at risk for suicide and intervening appropriately. Primary care clinicians have been increasingly targeted for suicide intervention training; however, evidence surrounding the effectiveness of safeTALK is lacking, particularly among medical learners. The aim of this study was to assess whether suicide literacy and intervention skills were enhanced by safeTALK training among medical learners.Methods: Undergraduate medical students from an Ontario university were invited to complete an online survey regardless if they had taken safeTALK training as part of their curriculum. Suicide literacy was measured with the Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS) and intervention skills were measured with the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory (SIRI).Results: The majority believed that suicide risk assessment training was very important to undergraduate medical education. Although limitations were noted, this study did not demonstrate that safeTALK training significantly improved medical students’ suicide literacy levels or suicide intervention skills.Conclusions: A more comprehensive program including the epidemiology of suicide and mental health disorders in addition to intervention skills is recommended to ensure medical learners are equipped to dispel the stigmas surrounding suicide and offer the appropriate care and follow up to their patients in future practice.

Highlights

Suicide is a steadily growing public health concern that robs communities, families, and society
A more comprehensive programme that includes the epidemiology of suicide and mental health disorders, in addition to intervention skills, is recommended to ensure medical learners are equipped to dispel the stigmas surrounding suicide and offer the appropriate care and follow up to their patients in future practice
It is estimated that up to 45% of persons that died by suicide saw their primary care clinician in the previous 30 days

Summary

Introduction

Suicide is a steadily growing public health concern that robs communities, families, and society. It is imperative that primary care clinicians are skilled in the detection and intervention of those at risk of suicide.[5,6] Studies have shown that family physicians cite fear of heightening a patient’s suicidal feeling, offending a patient, experiencing discomfort, and lacking confidence in intervening as reasons why they do not consistently inquire about suicide.[7] One study demonstrated that among a host of different professionals, including general practitioners, medical students, teachers, and police officers, general practitioners were least motivated for suicide prevention, possibly attributable to their perceived lack of competence in the topic.[8] As primary care physicians commonly encounter high-risk suicidal patients and report low levels of confidence in intervening, they are unique targets for suicide prevention programmes.[3,6,9,10] A large systematic review that focused on suicide prevention strategies identified physician education in depression recognition and treatment as an effective means to reduce the rates of suicide.[3] confidence in assessing suicidality in the primary care setting is essential to identify those at risk of suicide and to intervene early and appropriately.[3,11]. Primary care clinicians have been increasingly targeted for suicide intervention training; evidence surrounding the effectiveness of safeTALK is lacking, among medical learners. The aim of this study was to assess whether safeTALK training by medical learners enhanced suicide literacy and intervention skills

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion