Investigation of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experience Regarding Suicidal Behaviors among Psychiatric Residents in Korea : A Cross-Sectional Study

Kyunglin Lee; Kanguk Lee; Junwon Hwang; Sang Woo Hahn

doi:10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.4.444

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Lee, Lee, Hwang, Hahn, and The Committee of Residency Training of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association: Investigation of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experience Regarding Suicidal Behaviors among Psychiatric Residents in Korea : A Cross-Sectional Study

Original Article

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2015; 54(4): 444-458.

Published online: 30 November 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.4.444

Investigation of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experience Regarding Suicidal Behaviors among Psychiatric Residents in Korea : A Cross-Sectional Study

Kyunglin Lee, MD¹, Kanguk Lee, MD, PhD^1,², Junwon Hwang, MD, PhD^1,², Sang Woo Hahn, MD, PhD³; The Committee of Residency Training of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

¹Department of Psychiatry, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea.

²Department of Psychiatry, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.

³Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Kanguk Lee, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Kangwon National University Hospital, 156 Baengnyeong-ro, Chuncheon 24289, Korea. Tel +82-33-258-2310, Fax +82-33-258-2146, kuleemd@kangwon.ac.kr

Received 20 July 2015 Revised 18 August 2015 Accepted 29 August 2015

Abstract

Objectives

This study investigated the effects of the grade of residents, sociodemographic variables, and clinical experience with suicidal patients on the knowledge and attitudes toward suicide among psychiatric residents in Korea.

Methods

A self-reporting survey including 30 questions was conducted together with an investigation of the sociodemographic background of the research subjects. The questionnaire was composed of general knowledge questions on suicide, suicide-related personal experience, attitudes toward suicide, and the treatment experience of suicide attempt patients. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to determine the differences and associations among the attitudes toward suicide, clinical experience of suicide, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

A significantly higher response rate was presented in the 4th grade on general knowledge of suicide and treatment experience with suicide attempt patients than in the 1st grade. Residents with previous history of psychiatric treatment suicide plans, or attempts presented a significantly higher level of permissive attitude toward suicide. Residents who had a previous history of suicide attempt among their own patients were more likely to think that they were more capable to prevent suicide of patients.

Conclusion

Effective clinical practices are essential considering the fact that the highest suicide risk groups will inevitably be referred to psychiatric clinical services. The authors expect that the study results regarding suicide-related knowledge, attitudes, and the experience of psychiatric residents will contribute to the development of effective resident training programs for suicide-related clinical practice in Korea.

Keywords: Attitudes toward suicide, Experience in clinical practice of suicide attempters, Psychiatric residents in Korea

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Sociodemographic characteristics of participating residents (n=260)

Chi-square test. ^* : p<0.001

Table 2

Comparison of questionnaire results according to grade of residents

Table 3

Comparison of attitude toward suicide according to age, sex, religion, marital status

Chi-square test. ^* : p<0.05, ^† : p<0.01. Y : Yes, N : No

Table 4

Comparison of binary logistic regression analysis results regarding all sociodemographic backgrounds

Binary logistic regression analysis. ^* : p<0.05, ^† : p<0.01, ^‡ : p<0.001. SE : Standard error, OR : Odds ratio, CI : Confidence interval

Table 5

Comparison of binary logistic regression analysis results regarding the correlation between individual/clinical experiences with suicide and attitude toward suicide

Binary logistic regression analysis. ^* : p<0.05, ^† : p<0.01, ^‡ : p<0.001. SE : Standard error, OR : Odds ratio, CI : Confidence interval

Notes

^{Conflicts of Interest} The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

Appendix

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