title: Indo-Canadian Collaboration for Suicide Prevention: Training Needs Assessment for Healthcare Professionals in India.
abstract: The main purpose of the study was to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of primary healthcare professionals in order to develop a training program aimed at enhancing competencies in suicide risk assessment and management. A total of 144 primary healthcare professionals (physicians = 46; primary care workers = 98) completed the needs assessment questionnaire. The majority of healthcare professionals rated their level of comfort and competence in assessing, treating, and referring suicidal patients as medium or high. However, their knowledge about suicide, risk factors for suicide, asking about suicidal behaviour, and helping a suicidal patient was rated low or medium. Overall, the scarcity of qualified healthcare professionals and the existing gaps in core competencies for suicide risk assessment and management was identified. Development of innovative and effective competencies-based suicide specific training for primary care providers in India is urgently required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada. anuras01@gmail.com.|Lawson Health Research Institute, 750 Baseline Rd, Suite 105-5, London, ON, N6C 2R5, Canada. anuras01@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Rahel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eynan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Amresh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Leanna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, JSS University, Mysore, India.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Sathyanarayana Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seth G S Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Shubhangi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Indus University, Ahmedabad, India.
authors.forename: Lakshman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dutt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seth G S Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Kranti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Links
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000193:education*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Educational gaps; Needs assessment; Primary care providers; Suicide