Jan Mokkenstorm

The effect of an e-learning supported train-the-trainer programme on implementation of suicide guidelines in mental health care

BACKGROUND Randomized studies examining the effect of training of mental health professionals in suicide prevention guidelines are scarce. We assessed whether professionals benefited from an e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer programme aimed at the application of the Dutch multidisciplinary suicide prevention guideline. METHODS 45 psychiatric departments from all over the Netherlands were clustered in pairs and randomized. In the experimental condition, all of the staff of psychiatric departments was trained by peers with an e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer programme. Guideline adherence of individual professionals was measured by means of the response to on-line video fragments. Multilevel analyses were used to establish whether variation between conditions was due to differences between individual professionals or departments. RESULTS Multilevel analysis showed that the intervention resulted in an improvement of individual professionals. At the 3 month follow-up, professionals who received the intervention showed greater guideline adherence, improved self-perceived knowledge and improved confidence as providers of care than professionals who were only exposed to traditional guideline dissemination. Subgroup analyses showed that improved guideline adherence was found among nurses but not among psychiatrists and psychologists. No significant effect of the intervention on team performance was found. LIMITATIONS The ICT environment in departments was often technically inadequate when displaying the video clips clip of the survey. This may have caused considerable drop-out and possibly introduced selection bias, as professionals who were strongly affiliated to the theme of the study might have been more likely to finish the study. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the idea that an e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer programme is an effective strategy for implementing clinical guidelines and improving care for suicidal patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION Netherlands Trial Register (NTR3092 www.trialregister.nl).

What Do the Bereaved by Suicide Communicate in Online Support Groups? A Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND Every year, more than six million people lose a loved one through suicide. These bereaved by suicide are at relatively high risk for mental illnesses including suicide. The social stigma attached to suicide often makes it difficult to talk about grief. Participating in online forums may be beneficial for the bereaved by suicide, but it is unknown what they communicate in these forums. AIMS What do the bereaved by suicide communicate in online forums? We examined which self-help mechanisms, grief reactions, and experiences with health-care services they shared online. METHOD We conducted a content analysis of 1,250 messages from 165 members of two Dutch language forums for the bereaved by suicide. RESULTS We found that sharing personal experiences featured most prominently in the messages, often with emotional expressions of grief. Other frequently used self-help mechanisms were expressions of support or empathy, providing advice, and universality (recognition), while experiences with health-care services featured only occasionally. Compared with previous studies about online forums for somatic illnesses, the bereaved by suicide communicated more personal experiences and engaged much less in chitchat. CONCLUSION Online forums appear to have relevant additional value as a platform for talking about grief and finding support.

Improving the application of a practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of suicidal behavior by training the full staff of psychiatric departments via an e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer program : study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundIn 2012, in The Netherlands a multidisciplinary practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of suicidal behavior was issued. The release of guidelines often fails to change professional behavior due to multiple barriers. Structured implementation may improve adherence to guidelines. This article describes the design of a study measuring the effect of an e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer program aiming at the training of the full staff of departments in the application of the guideline. We hypothesize that both professionals and departments will benefit from the program.MethodIn a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial, 43 psychiatric departments spread over 10 regional mental health institutions throughout The Netherlands will be clustered in pairs with respect to the most prevalent diagnostic category of patients and average duration of treatment. Pair members are randomly allocated to either the experimental or the control condition. In the experimental condition, the full staff of departments, that is, all registered nurses, psychologists, physicians and psychiatrists (n = 532, 21 departments) will be trained in the application of the guideline, in a one-day small interactive group Train-the-Trainer program. The program is supported by a 60-minute e-learning module with video vignettes of suicidal patients and additional instruction. In the control condition (22 departments, 404 professionals), the guideline shall be disseminated in the traditional way: through manuals, books, conferences, internet, reviews and so on. The effectiveness of the program will be assessed at the level of both health care professionals and departments.DiscussionWe aim to demonstrate the effect of training of the full staff of departments with an e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer program in the application of a new clinical guideline. Strengths of the study are the natural setting, the training of full staff, the random allocation to the conditions, the large scale of the study and the willingness of both staff and management to participate in the study.Trial registrationDutch trial register: NTR3092

Characteristics associated with non-disclosure of suicidal ideation in adults

Suicide prevention efforts often depend on the willingness or ability of people to disclose current suicidal behavior. The aim of this study is to identify characteristics that are associated with non-disclosure of suicidal ideation. Data from the Dutch cross-sectional survey Health Monitor 2016 were used, resulting in 14,322 respondents (age 19+). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the strength of the associations between demographics and health-related characteristics as independent variables, and non-disclosure of suicidal ideation as the dependent variable. The mean age of the respondents was 60 years (SD 16.7) and 45% were male. Of these adults, 5% (n = 719) reported suicidal ideation in the past year, nearly half of which (48%) did not disclose suicidal ideation. Non-disclosure was significantly associated with social loneliness (OR = 1.29). Inverse significant associations were found for age (35–49 years, OR = 0.53), poor health status (OR = 0.63), frequent suicidal ideation (OR = 0.48), and severe psychological distress (OR = 0.63). The accuracy of this model was fair (AUC = 0.73). To conclude, non-disclosure is a substantial problem in adults experiencing suicidal ideation. Adults who do not disclose suicidal ideation are more likely to have few social contacts, while they are less likely to experience poor (mental) health and frequent suicidal thoughts.

Reducing the Burden of Suicidal Thoughts through Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Self Help

Many people who struggle with suicidal thoughts do not receive adequate help, either because they don’t look for help, or they don’t discuss their suicidal ideation with their general practitioner (GP) or health care provider. Shame, hopelessness, fear of rejection, fear of being admitted to a psychiatric institution, believing in spontaneous recovery of the problem, wanting to handle the problem alone, believing that treatment will not be effective, thinking the problem is not severe, and fear of stigma, all these factors may play a role (Bruffaerts et al., 2011). As a result, suicidal thinking may not be targeted in GP contacts or in mental health care. Suicidal persons do, however, look for anonymous and confidential support through crisis hotlines and organizations such as the Samaritans. Anonymity and confidentiality are key issues in providing support to those people with suicidal ideation who for what- ever reason don’t disclose their suicidal worries to others in face-to-face interaction. Telephone and Internet services may be important in inter- rupting their suicidal development. The magnitude of the problem is enormous: the year-prevalence of suicidal thoughts is around 3 per cent in The Netherlands, and the lifetime prevalence is estimated to be 11 per cent. The burden of disease of suicidal ideation is considerable expressed in Disability Adjusted Life Years: about 166,500 years in full health are lost due to suicidal thoughts (a provisional estimate based on Dutch year-prevalence rates) (van Spijker et al., 2011).

Suicide prevention guideline implementation in specialist mental healthcare institutions in the Netherlands

In The Netherlands, on average 40% of all suicides concern patients treated by mental healthcare institutions (MHIs). Recent evidence indicates that implemented guideline recommendations significantly reduce the odds for patients to die by suicide. Implementation of the multidisciplinary guideline for diagnosis and treatment of suicidal behaviors is a main objective of the Dutch National Suicide Prevention Strategy. To this end, 24 MHIs that collectively reported 73% of patient suicides in 2015 received an educational outreach intervention offered by the national center of expertise. Aim: To investigate changes in levels of implementation of guideline recommendations; and to assess the degree of variation on suicide prevention policies and practices between MHIs. Methods: Implementation study with a prospective cohort design studying change over time on all domains of a Suicide Prevention Monitor, a guideline-based instrument assessing suicide prevention policies and practices within MHIs. Data were collected in six-month intervals between 2015 and 2017. Results: MHIs improved significantly on four out of ten domains: the development of an organizational suicide prevention policy; monitoring and trend-analysis of suicides numbers; evaluations after suicide; and clinician training. No improvement was measured on the domains pertaining to multi-annual training policies; collaborative care with external partners; recording and evaluation of suicide attempts; routine assessment of suicidality in all patients; safety planning and involving next of kin and carers. Furthermore, marked practice variation between MHIs was found which did not decrease over time. Conclusion: This study shows significant improvement in the implementation of four out of ten guideline-based suicide prevention policies in 24 specialist mental healthcare institutions in The Netherlands. The implementation level of suicide prevention policies and practices still appears to vary significantly between MHIs in The Netherlands.

Is It Rational to Pursue Zero Suicides Among Patients in Health Care

Suicide prevention is a major health care responsibility in need of new perspectives. This study reviews Zero Suicide, an emerging approach to suicide prevention that embraces the aspirational goal of zero suicides among patients treated in health care systems or organizations. Zero Suicide is gaining international momentum while at the same time evoking objections and concerns. Fundamental to Zero Suicide is a multilevel system view on suicide prevention, with three core elements: a direct approach to suicidal behaviors; continual improvement of the quality and safety of care processes; and an organizational commitment to the aspirational goal of zero suicides. The rationale and evidence for these components are clarified and discussed against the backdrop of concerns and objections that focus on possible undesired consequences of the pursuit of zero suicide, in particular for clinicians and for those who are bereaved by suicide. It is concluded that it is rational to pursue zero suicides as an aspirational goal, provided the journey toward zero suicides is undertaken in a systemic and sustained manner, in a way that professionals feel supported, empowered, and protected against blame and inappropriate guilt.

Improving Suicide Prevention in Dutch Regions by Creating Local Suicide Prevention Action Networks (SUPRANET): A Study Protocol

The European Alliance against Depression (EAAD) program is to be introduced in The Netherlands from 2017 onwards. This program to combat suicide consists of interventions on four levels: (1) increasing the awareness of suicide by local media campaigns; (2) training local gatekeepers, such as teachers or police officers; (3) targeting high-risk persons in the community; and (4) training and support of professionals in primary care settings. The implementation starts in seven Dutch pilot regions. Each region is designated as a Suicide Prevention Action NETwork (SUPRANET). This paper describes the SUPRANET program components and the evaluation of its feasibility and impact. The findings will be used to facilitate the national implementation of EAAD in The Netherlands and to add new findings to the existing literature on EAAD.

Results and experiences of 113 Online: a comprehensive Dutch online suicide prevention platform

The emergence of new information and communication technologies has led to the development of Internet based “e-mental health” interventions including e-therapy, online screening, tele-consultation and online information and education services. These developments can benefit the field of suicide prevention by increasing the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of care to suicidal individuals, being often emotionally vulnerable and ambivalent help seekers (McGinty et al., 2006 ; Krysinska & de Leo, 2007; Sarchiapone et al., 2009; Lester, 2008; Luxton et al., 2011; Barak, 2007). This chapter presents the Dutch online suicide prevention platform which provides several complementary services over the Internet. We first present the general background, introducing the potential contribution of e-mental health for suicide prevention. We then describe the organization of 113Online, the principles and key services they provide. Third, we present data on the characteristics of 113Online service users and their usage, as well as some outcomes, using data recorded during the first three years of operation. The final section summarizes and discusses our experiences to date and research findings. Plans for future developments will be presented and a research agenda will be proposed.

Smartphone-based safety planning and self-monitoring for suicidal patients: Rationale and study protocol of the CASPAR (Continuous Assessment for Suicide Prevention And Research) study

Background It remains difficult to predict and prevent suicidal behaviour, despite growing understanding of the aetiology of suicidality. Clinical guidelines recommend that health care professionals develop a safety plan in collaboration with their high-risk patients, to lower the imminent risk of suicidal behaviour. Mobile health applications provide new opportunities for safety planning, and enable daily self-monitoring of suicide-related symptoms that may enhance safety planning. This paper presents the rationale and protocol of the Continuous Assessment for Suicide Prevention And Research (CASPAR) study. The aim of the study is two-fold: to evaluate the feasibility of mobile safety planning and daily mobile self-monitoring in routine care treatment for suicidal patients, and to conduct fundamental research on suicidal processes. Methods The study is an adaptive single cohort design among 80 adult outpatients or day-care patients, with the main diagnosis of major depressive disorder or dysthymia, who have an increased risk for suicidal behaviours. There are three measurement points, at baseline, at 1 and 3 months after baseline. Patients are instructed to use their mobile safety plan when necessary and monitor their suicidal symptoms daily. Both these apps will be used in treatment with their clinician. Conclusion The results from this study will provide insight into the feasibility of mobile safety planning and self-monitoring in treatment of suicidal patients. Furthermore, knowledge of the suicidal process will be enhanced, especially regarding the transition from suicidal ideation to behaviour. The study protocol is currently under revision for medical ethics approval by the medical ethics board of the Vrije Universiteit Medical centre Amsterdam (METc number 2017.512/NL62795.029.17).