title: Comparison of Families with and without a Suicide Prevention Plan Following a Suicidal Attempt by a Family Member.
abstract: The frequency and extent of the existence of a familial suicide prevention plan may differ across cultures. The aim of this work was, therefore, to determine how common it was for families to develop a suicide prevention plan and to compare the main measures used by families with and without such a plan, after an attempt to commit suicide was made by a member of a family living in a rural area of Korea. On the basis of the presence or absence of a familial suicide prevention plan, we compared 50 recruited families that were divided into 2 groups, with Group A (31 families) employing a familial suicide prevention plan after a suicide attempt by a family member, and Group B (19 families) not doing so. The strategy that was employed most frequently to prevent a reoccurrence among both populations was promoting communication among family members, followed by seeking psychological counseling and/or psychiatric treatment. Contrary to our expectation, the economic burden from medical treatment after a suicide attempt did not influence the establishment of a familial suicide prevention plan. It is a pressing social issue that 38% (19 of 50) of families in this study did not employ a familial suicide prevention plan, even after a family member had attempted suicide. Regional suicide prevention centers and/or health authorities should pay particular attention to these patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Heung-Don
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Young
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-wook
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Du-shin
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sae-yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Suicide; Suicide Prevention; Suicide Prevention Plan; Suicide, Attempted, Family