Nursing students’ attitude towards suicide attempters: A study from rural part of Northern India

CONTEXT: Majority of health professionals have unfavorable attitudes towards patients presenting with self-harm, which further compromises their willingness and outcome of care. AIMS: To assess the nursing students’ attitudes toward suicide attempters. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional study was conducted in two nursing colleges of north India. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three hundred and eight nursing students were recruited through total enumeration method from May to June 2012. ‘Suicide opinion questionnaire’ was administered to assess their attitudes towards suicide attempters. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Descriptive statistics was employed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 14.0 for Windows. RESULTS: Majority were single females, from urban locality, with the mean age of 20 years. Only minority had previous exposure to suicide prevention programs and management of such cases. Majority of students agreed for mental illness, disturbed family life, and depression as major push to attempt suicide. They held favorable attitude for half of the attitudinal statement, but they were uncertain for rest half of the statements. CONCLUSIONS: They generally had favorable attitude towards suicide attempters. Their uncertain response highlights the need for enhancing educational exposure of nursing students and new staff at the earliest opportunity, to carve their favorable attitude towards patients presenting with self-harm.