Medical students' attitude toward suicide prevention: An exploratory study from North India

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Although medical students are the future physicians and their attitudes toward suicide attempters may impact upon the quality of care, literature is not available on their attitude toward suicide prevention. This study was aimed to assess medical students' attitudes toward suicide prevention. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in an apex medical institute of Haryana. Totally 205 final-year medical students were recruited through total enumeration method. Attitude toward suicide prevention scale was administered. Results: Nearly half of the students' opined lack of disclosure of suicidal intent by suicide attempters and one-third of the students considered unemployment and poverty as the main causes of suicide. Half of the students were not comfortable in suicide risk assessment (girls > boys). More than half of the students acknowledged their role for suicide prevention. However, only half of them had positive attitude toward working with suicidal patients. Minority of students had clinical exposure of managing any suicidal patient and attending suicide prevention programs. Conclusions: Merely half of the medical students had a positive attitude toward working with suicidal patients. To make them more equipped, medical curriculum should incorporate regular programs on assessment and management of suicidal patients and multipronged approach for suicide prevention.