Development, evaluation, and refinement of the suicide prevention toolkit for rural primary care practices

Résumé

Suicide is a significant issue in the United States and worldwide, and its prevention is a public health imperative. The Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Rural Primary Care was developed to address gaps in education and tools to assist primary care providers and other clinic staff in identifying and managing patients at risk for suicide. Given the high suicide rates in rural areas, coupled with the evidence that many people who die by suicide visit their primary care provider in the month prior to their death, primary care health settings offer an important prevention and intervention opportunity for patients at varying levels of risk for suicide. This article details (a) the evolution of a project that began with identifying a need for tools and training in suicide prevention and brief intervention by rural primary care providers, (b) the development of the Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Rural Primary Care, (c) the effectiveness of a training based the toolkit to improve suicide prevention knowledge and skills of primary care providers and other employees in health care settings, and (d) recommendations for future research and dissemination strategies of suicide prevention and intervention in primary care and other health settings. ÉTATS-UNIS PRÉVENTION MILIEU-RURAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMME FORMATION