Attitude Towards Suicide and Help-Seeking Behavior Among Medical Undergraduates in a Malaysian University (original) (raw)

Objective The attitude of medical personnel towards suicide may influence the outcome of suicidal-patients management. This study aimed to determine the attitudes of medical undergraduates towards suicide and its association with their help-seeking behavior. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 290 medical undergraduates was conducted in a Malaysian university. The questionnaires on the attitude towards suicide and general help-seeking behavior were used as research instruments. Results The mean age of the participants was 22.4 years. Participants who did psychiatry posting indicated a greater tendency to agree on suicide as a way of communication (p = 0.008) than those who did not. Participants previously diagnosed with a psychiatric illness indicated a greater ability to understand and accept suicide (p < 0.001) as well as a greater tendency to agree on the normality of suicide (p = 0.019) than those without a previous diagnosis. Those who attended a suicide prevention pro...