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Suicide and Firearm Means Restriction: Can Training Make a Difference?
Author(s) -
Slovak Karen,
Brewer Thomas W.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1521/suli.2010.40.1.63
Subject(s) - suicide prevention , injury prevention , occupational safety and health , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , medicine , odds , mental health , depression (economics) , medical emergency , family medicine , psychology , psychiatry , logistic regression , pathology , economics , macroeconomics
Along with physician education in depression recognition and treatment, restricting lethal methods is an effective suicide prevention strategy. The present study surveyed a random sample ( N = 697) of Ohio licensed social workers regarding client firearm assessment and safety counseling. Analyses sought to determine what independent factors would predict the probability that a social worker would hold positive attitudes regarding firearm risk assessment and counseling. Findings indicated that prior training and reporting from an urban area significantly increased the odds ( p < .05) of registering more positive attitudes toward firearm assessment and safety counseling by 91.1% and 44.7%, respectively. Training mental health professionals in firearm assessment and safety counseling is an important aspect in addressing the reduction of suicide by this means.