Parents’ and medical staff’s experience of adolescents with suicide-related behaviors admitted to a general hospital in China: qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is increasing awareness of suicide-related behaviors. Mental health services are a key location for assisting people with suicide-related behaviors. However, few studies focused on the evaluation and experience of the mental health care system from families and the medical staff’s perspective in China. The study aims to explore parents’ and the front-line medical staff’s experience of an adolescent with suicide-related behaviors admitted to the psychiatry department of a general hospital in China. DESIGN: Qualitative study was employed in the study. Participants were recruited from a general hospital in China characterized by high levels in the Chinese mental health system. METHODS: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted exploring their experience and perceptions when an adolescent was admitted to the hospital. The theme analysis method is used for data analysis. RESULTS: Participants expressed dissatisfaction in the psychiatric department. Other barriers in their work were identified, such as the shortage of staff and difficulties in caring or communicating with patients. Besides, the imperfect treatment system also contributes to the low satisfaction of patients and their families. Two themes and six subthemes were identified: 1) staff perceive patients with SRBs as difficult to engage (feelings of helplessness, the need for compassion, challenges of professional self-efficacy, the recommendations to the health care service); 2) parents not satisfied with the existing hospital services (doubt the hospitalization treatment and the advice to the health care service). CONCLUSION: This study found that insufficient staffing and lacking of systematic professional treatment models are the major challenges. We suggest increasing the input of mental health resources to expand and train the mental health service team and establish a complete set of a treatment model for SRBs.