title: Perceptions of a peer suicide prevention program by inmates and professionals working in prisons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide prevention is a major challenge for penal institutions in many countries. The traditional approach relies on the expertise of health professionals and is supplemented by the intervention of other professionals and the inmates themselves. New methods of suicide prevention based on peer support have been developed in recent years. Peer prevention programs rely on the ability of inmates to identify suicide risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines perceived suicide risk among inmates and explores possible explanations.
  
  
  METHODS
  54 inmates and 17 professionals working in prisons responded to a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The peer prevention program was found to change inmates' expectations of support in the event of a suicide crisis. The study also found that the inmates involved in the program tended to underestimate the risk of suicide. The perception of the prevention program and the level of self-consciousness were found to account for the underestimation of suicide risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Support for inmates involved in suicide prevention programs must take into account their isolation in prison. The training provided to inmates must also consider the biases affecting the assessment of risk.
authors.affiliation: Université de Franche Comté, Vesoul, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Auzoult
authors.forename: Sid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdellaoui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010379:Peer Group; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000092864:Suicide Prevention