What the study found
The study found that health workers in Norwegian hospitals were generally skeptical about the emphasis placed on standardized suicide risk assessments. Respondents also viewed suicide as at least partly preventable.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say understanding health workers’ perspectives is important for understanding how clinicians think about suicide risk assessments, their attitudes toward guidelines, and their adherence to current guidelines. They also suggest these findings may have implications for future guideline development and suicide-prevention policy.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted an electronic survey of 183 health workers from three Norwegian hospitals. Participants included psychologists, doctors, nurses, and social workers, and they answered 18 questions about suicide risk assessments, suicide prevention, suicide risk factors, and Norwegian guidelines for suicide risk assessment.
What worked and what didn't
The responses differed significantly by professional group. There were also significant differences between hospitals in how staff perceived risk factors and standardized questions. The abstract says respondents were skeptical of standardized suicide risk assessments, but it does not report a specific intervention or comparison that worked better than another.
What to keep in mind
The abstract notes that there were some differences between professions and hospitals, which may be due to cultural and educational aspects. It also states that suicide risk prevention is complex and that methodological limitations should be considered. Future research is recommended to further explore health workers’ concerns about standardized suicide risk assessments.
Key points
- Health workers in the survey were generally skeptical of standardized suicide risk assessments.
- Respondents viewed suicide as at least partly preventable.
- Responses differed significantly among professional groups.
- Hospitals also differed significantly in perceptions of risk factors and standardized questions.
- The study involved 183 health workers from three Norwegian hospitals.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Health workers were skeptical of standardized suicide risk assessments
- Authors:
- Martin Bystad, Lars Lien, Sanja Krvavac, Rolf Wynn
- Institutions:
- Norwegian Space Agency, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Universitat de Miguel Hernández d'Elx, University Hospital of North Norway, University of Inland Norway
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-05
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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