Evelien Coppens1, Chantal Van Audenhove2, Samuel Iddi3, Ella Arensman4, Katrin Gottlebe5, Nicole Koburger5, Claire Coffey4, Ricardo Gusmão6, Sónia Quintão7, Susana Costa7, András Székely8, Ulrich Hegerl5. 1. LUCAS, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 2. LUCAS, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Chantal.Vanaudenhove@med.kuleuven.be. 3. Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics Centre, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Statistics, University of Ghana, Ghana. 4. National Suicide Research Foundation & Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 5. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 6. CEDOC, Departamento de Saúde Mental, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Serviço de Psiquiatria, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisboa, Portugal. 7. CEDOC, Departamento de Saúde Mental, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. 8. Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Community facilitators (CFs), such as teachers, nurses and social workers, are well placed as gatekeepers for depression and suicidal behavior, but not properly prepared to provide preventive and supportive services. The current study aimed: (1) to improve CFs' attitudes toward depression, knowledge on suicide, and confidence to detect suicidal behavior in four European countries and (2) to identify specific training needs across regions and CF groups. METHODS: A standardized training program was provided to 1276 CFs in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Portugal. Attitudes toward depression, knowledge about suicide, and confidence in identifying suicidal persons were assessed before training, after training, and at three to six months follow-up. Additionally, several participants' characteristics were registered. RESULTS: At baseline, CFs showed relatively favorable attitudes toward depression, but limited knowledge on suicide, and little confidence to identify suicidal behavior. Basic skills strongly differed across CF groups and countries. For example, in Germany, carers for the elderly, nurses, teachers, and managers were most in need of training, while in Portugal pharmacists and the clergy appeared to be important target groups. Most importantly, the training program improved the competencies of CF groups across countries and these improvements were sustained after three to six months. CFs with low basic skills benefited most of the training. LIMITATIONS: The observed training effects could be influenced by other external factors as our results are based upon a pre-post comparison with no control group. CONCLUSIONS: Gatekeeper trainings in community settings are successful in improving knowledge, reshaping attitudes, and boosting the confidence of gatekeepers. The most effective strategy to achieve the preferred objectives is to target those CF groups that are most in need of training and to tailor the content of the training program to the individual needs of the target group.
BACKGROUND: Community facilitators (CFs), such as teachers, nurses and social workers, are well placed as gatekeepers for depression and suicidal behavior, but not properly prepared to provide preventive and supportive services. The current study aimed: (1) to improve CFs' attitudes toward depression, knowledge on suicide, and confidence to detect suicidal behavior in four European countries and (2) to identify specific training needs across regions and CF groups. METHODS: A standardized training program was provided to 1276 CFs in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Portugal. Attitudes toward depression, knowledge about suicide, and confidence in identifying suicidal persons were assessed before training, after training, and at three to six months follow-up. Additionally, several participants' characteristics were registered. RESULTS: At baseline, CFs showed relatively favorable attitudes toward depression, but limited knowledge on suicide, and little confidence to identify suicidal behavior. Basic skills strongly differed across CF groups and countries. For example, in Germany, carers for the elderly, nurses, teachers, and managers were most in need of training, while in Portugal pharmacists and the clergy appeared to be important target groups. Most importantly, the training program improved the competencies of CF groups across countries and these improvements were sustained after three to six months. CFs with low basic skills benefited most of the training. LIMITATIONS: The observed training effects could be influenced by other external factors as our results are based upon a pre-post comparison with no control group. CONCLUSIONS:Gatekeeper trainings in community settings are successful in improving knowledge, reshaping attitudes, and boosting the confidence of gatekeepers. The most effective strategy to achieve the preferred objectives is to target those CF groups that are most in need of training and to tailor the content of the training program to the individual needs of the target group.
Authors: Andrea L Murphy; Randa Ataya; Dani Himmelman; Claire O'Reilly; Alan Rosen; Luis Salvador-Carulla; Ruth Martin-Misener; Fred Burge; Stanley Kutcher; David M Gardner Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2018-06-23 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Andrea Lynn Murphy; Katelyn Hillier; Randa Ataya; Pierre Thabet; Anne Marie Whelan; Claire O'Reilly; David Gardner Journal: Can Pharm J (Ott) Date: 2017-10-05
Authors: Andrea L Murphy; Claire L O'Reilly; Randa Ataya; Steve P Doucette; Ruth Martin-Misener; Alan Rosen; David M Gardner Journal: SAGE Open Med Date: 2019-01-14
Authors: Ulrich Hegerl; Margaret Maxwell; Fiona Harris; Nicole Koburger; Roland Mergl; András Székely; Ella Arensman; Chantal Van Audenhove; Celine Larkin; Mónika Ditta Toth; Sónia Quintão; Airi Värnik; Axel Genz; Marco Sarchiapone; David McDaid; Armin Schmidtke; György Purebl; James C Coyne; Ricardo Gusmão Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-11-11 Impact factor: 3.240