Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals
Abstract Purpose Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a critical role in suicide prevention and clinical guidelines recommend inquiring about suicidality as part of medical history and diagnosis. Emerging evidence indicates a lack of implementation of such policies in clinical practice. However, to...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-025-06106-z |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832571991332225024 |
|---|---|
| author | Tamara Schwinn Judith Hirschmiller Jörg Wiltink Rüdiger Zwerenz Elmar Brähler Manfred E. Beutel Mareike Ernst |
| author_facet | Tamara Schwinn Judith Hirschmiller Jörg Wiltink Rüdiger Zwerenz Elmar Brähler Manfred E. Beutel Mareike Ernst |
| author_sort | Tamara Schwinn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Purpose Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a critical role in suicide prevention and clinical guidelines recommend inquiring about suicidality as part of medical history and diagnosis. Emerging evidence indicates a lack of implementation of such policies in clinical practice. However, to date, no comprehensive mixed-methods study has examined this issue in the field of oncology. Methods A preregistered mixed-methods study was conducted with oncological HCPs (N = 20) from various professions, using semi-structured interviews and validated questionnaires. Employing an explorative theory-generating approach, qualitative content analysis was applied to the interviews. The different data sources are integrated and contrasted. Comparisons according to sociodemographic variables (profession, age, and gender) and frequency distributions were used to examine the questionnaire data. Results Most HCPs reported direct or indirect experiences with suicidality in cancer patients. Nineteen HCPs did not routinely explore suicidality, of whom five reported not inquiring about it at all. Those who explored suicidality were more confident, less emotionally overwhelmed and reported higher subjective knowledge. HCPs also differed regarding their endorsement of suicide myths. Conclusion The study highlights difficulties with active suicide exploration and differences among HCPs. Integrating these findings into education and training could improve HCPs’ skills and reduce disparities, supporting successful suicide prevention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3dfa4eb501064d44921f284adef281f8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1432-1335 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-3dfa4eb501064d44921f284adef281f82025-02-02T12:07:13ZengSpringerJournal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology1432-13352025-01-01151211410.1007/s00432-025-06106-zPractitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionalsTamara Schwinn0Judith Hirschmiller1Jörg Wiltink2Rüdiger Zwerenz3Elmar Brähler4Manfred E. Beutel5Mareike Ernst6Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzAbstract Purpose Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a critical role in suicide prevention and clinical guidelines recommend inquiring about suicidality as part of medical history and diagnosis. Emerging evidence indicates a lack of implementation of such policies in clinical practice. However, to date, no comprehensive mixed-methods study has examined this issue in the field of oncology. Methods A preregistered mixed-methods study was conducted with oncological HCPs (N = 20) from various professions, using semi-structured interviews and validated questionnaires. Employing an explorative theory-generating approach, qualitative content analysis was applied to the interviews. The different data sources are integrated and contrasted. Comparisons according to sociodemographic variables (profession, age, and gender) and frequency distributions were used to examine the questionnaire data. Results Most HCPs reported direct or indirect experiences with suicidality in cancer patients. Nineteen HCPs did not routinely explore suicidality, of whom five reported not inquiring about it at all. Those who explored suicidality were more confident, less emotionally overwhelmed and reported higher subjective knowledge. HCPs also differed regarding their endorsement of suicide myths. Conclusion The study highlights difficulties with active suicide exploration and differences among HCPs. Integrating these findings into education and training could improve HCPs’ skills and reduce disparities, supporting successful suicide prevention.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-025-06106-zSuicide preventionHealthcare professionalsCancer patientsOncologyPsycho-oncologyMixed-methods |
| spellingShingle | Tamara Schwinn Judith Hirschmiller Jörg Wiltink Rüdiger Zwerenz Elmar Brähler Manfred E. Beutel Mareike Ernst Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Suicide prevention Healthcare professionals Cancer patients Oncology Psycho-oncology Mixed-methods |
| title | Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals |
| title_full | Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals |
| title_fullStr | Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals |
| title_short | Practitioners’ perspective: a mixed-methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals |
| title_sort | practitioners perspective a mixed methods study on dealing with suicidality from the perspective of oncological healthcare professionals |
| topic | Suicide prevention Healthcare professionals Cancer patients Oncology Psycho-oncology Mixed-methods |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-025-06106-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tamaraschwinn practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals AT judithhirschmiller practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals AT jorgwiltink practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals AT rudigerzwerenz practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals AT elmarbrahler practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals AT manfredebeutel practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals AT mareikeernst practitionersperspectiveamixedmethodsstudyondealingwithsuicidalityfromtheperspectiveofoncologicalhealthcareprofessionals |