Suicide Literacy and Stigmatising Attitude Among Poisoning Wards Nurses and Physicians Towards Patients With Suicide Attempts: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The attitudes and knowledge of healthcare professionals towards patients with suicidal ideation and a history of suicide attempts can significantly impact the quality of care they receive. A recent study investigated the knowledge and attitudes of physicians and nurses towards such patients, with a focus on understanding the relationship between suicide literacy and stigma. The study employed a cross-sectional research design, recruiting a total of 421 participants, including general physicians, specialist physicians, and nurses. The participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, as well as the Stigma of Suicide Scale-Short Form and the Literacy of Suicide Scale questionnaires, to assess their knowledge and attitudes towards suicidal patients. The study's findings highlight an interesting distinction between nurses and physicians in terms of their knowledge and attitudes towards suicidal patients. Among nurses, the study found no significant relationship between suicide knowledge and suicide stigma, with average scores of 4.65 for suicide knowledge and 46.59 for suicide stigma. In contrast, a significant negative correlation was identified between suicide knowledge and suicide stigma among physicians, suggesting that increased suicide literacy among physicians may help reduce stigma towards suicidal patients. This correlation has important implications for clinical practice, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions to improve healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes towards suicidal ideation and behavior. By doing so, healthcare professionals can provide more compassionate and effective care to patients struggling with suicidal thoughts, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues. The study's findings underscore the importance of prioritizing the education and training of healthcare professionals to address the complex needs of suicidal patients, and highlight the potential for improved patient care through increased awareness and understanding of suicidal behavior. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40304122/