Abstract
Objective
Many people at risk of suicide do not actively seek help. Suicide prevention efforts need to involve the general public to provide appropriate support to those in need. It is important to investigate the intention to help those at risk of suicide and the factors associated with helping intentions in the general population. We aimed to assess the intention to help people at risk and associated factors using a national representative sample.
Method
We conducted a national telephone survey of 1,087 Taiwanese adults and collected data regarding participants’ socio-demographic characteristics, mental health status, helping intentions, misconceptions about suicide, and attitudes toward suicide and suicide prevention.
Results
The prevalence of high intentions to help people at risk of suicide was 56.5%. Helping intentions did not differ by sex, educational level, employment status, marital status, or mental health status. Those with high helping intentions were younger, less likely to have misconceptions about suicide or agree that suicide is a personal choice, and more likely to believe that suicide is preventable and support suicide prevention measures.
Conclusions
Suicide prevention education programs aimed to enhance helping intentions may usefully target debunking misconceptions about suicide and cultivating positive attitudes toward suicide prevention.
HIGHLIGHTS
The prevalence of high intentions to help people at risk of suicide was 56.5%.
Individuals with high intentions to help were less likely to hold misconceptions about suicide.
Individuals with high intentions to help were less likely to believe that suicide is a personal choice.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
The authors report there are no competing interests to declare. This publication is partially based on Yu-Mei Gao's unpublished master thesis.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data underlying this article will be shared on reasonable request to the corresponding author.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
I-Ting Hwang
I-Ting Hwang, Ph.D., Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yu-Mei Gao
Yu-Mei Gao, M.S., Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Shu-Sen Chang
Shu-Sen Chang, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D., Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Global Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Psychiatric Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Population Health Research Center, National Taiwan University.
Ying-Chen Chi
Ying-Chen Chi, Ph.D., Department of Healthcare Information and Management, Ming Chuan University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Kevin Chien-Chang Wu
Kevin Chien-Chang Wu, M.D., LL.M., Ph.D., Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Bioethics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ying-Yeh Chen
Ying-Yeh Chen, M.D., Sc.D., Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Institute of Public Health and Department of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.