Knowledge and attitude of nonpsychiatric physicians regarding suicide in spinal cord injury patients and need for structured psychiatric education for suicide prevention: A prospective survey pilot study

BACKGROUND: The knowledge and attitude of nonpsychiatric physicians regarding suicide in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients is important to prevent the accident related to suicide. However, most existing studies have focused on perception of and attitudes among psychiatric physician and mental health care worker. The aim of this study is to investigate awareness and attitude regarding suicide among clinicians treating patients with spinal cord injury, and the necessity of education for suicide prevention. METHODS: A total of 29 subjects (N = 29; surgical group n = 17, nonsurgical group n = 12) participated in the study, 6 fellows and 23 residents. They answered a newly revised questionnaire that incorporated 18 items regarding perception of and attitude toward suicide, awareness of suicide in treatment of spinal cord injury patients, and psychiatric consultation; 13 items regarding education and experience; and 4 subjective items regarding their department. A χ(2) test was performed to investigate differences in sociodemographic factors, awareness of and attitude toward suicide, and clinical experience with spinal cord injury patients. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify correlation between the questionnaire items. RESULTS: There were significant differences between surgical and nonsurgical clinicians in 1 question (Q6) about awareness of and attitude toward suicide (P < .05) and in 2 questions (Q21, Q25) about psychiatric consultation and experience with suicide-related education (P < .01). The correlation analysis revealed significant differences in certain questions among awareness and attitude (P < .05) and age (P < .05) and specialty (P < .01). Two sets of questions (Q16/Q31, Q17/Q26) showed correlation between clinical experience with spinal cord injury patients and awareness of and attitude toward suicide (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Education regarding suicide prevention and suicide-related clinical experience with spinal cord injury patients is important for nonpsychiatric clinicians, such as those in the fields of orthopedics, neurosurgery, and rehabilitation medicine.