2025-08-26
Training to save lives
Psychiatry
By Ana Espino | Published on August 26, 2025 | 2 min read
#SuicidePrevention #Education #MentalHealth
Suicide is a leading cause of preventable death, affecting all age groups and representing a major global public health concern. Health and social care students are expected to play a central role in prevention. Yet, their initial training often includes little specific content on identifying and managing suicidal risk. Existing educational approaches suffer from several limitations: lack of standardization, insufficient evaluation of long-term impact, and poor integration of interprofessional aspects.
The challenge, therefore, lies in designing a structured curriculum that builds knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to intervene effectively. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted to describe the process of developing and implementing a suicide prevention training program for health and social care students, using a collaborative, evidence-based approach.
The project followed a four-step methodology: needs analysis, co-construction of content with clinical and educational experts, pilot implementation, and formative evaluation. The curriculum developed included fundamental knowledge on suicide, risk and protective factors, communication techniques, and risk assessment methods. Crisis intervention and referral strategies were also integrated. Learning relied on a blended approach, combining lectures, case studies, role plays, and realistic simulations.
Results showed a significant improvement in students’ theoretical knowledge about risk factors, warning signs, and intervention strategies for suicide prevention. Perceived competence also increased, as did students’ confidence in addressing suicide with patients or service users. Questionnaires and interviews further highlighted the relevance of practical role-play scenarios.
The interdisciplinary dimension of the program was particularly valued for enhancing role understanding, collaborative communication, and the adoption of a holistic approach to care. Overall, these results confirm the effectiveness and relevance of the educational approach in preparing future professionals to intervene with skill and confidence in suicide prevention.
Suicide remains a major public health issue, requiring urgent and ambitious adaptation of health and social care training. Findings from this program show that a structured curriculum, co-designed with clinical and educational experts and grounded in scientific evidence, can significantly strengthen knowledge, practical skills, and the confidence of future professionals in suicide prevention.
However, these conclusions are based on short-term evaluations conducted with a limited number of participants, which restricts their generalizability. To maximize impact, future steps should include longitudinal evaluations to assess the lasting effect of training on real-world professional practices, as well as adaptation of content to different cultural and organizational contexts.
Finally, the systematic integration of suicide prevention modules into health and social care curricula would ensure broad and sustainable dissemination of the skills needed for effective and compassionate support of people at risk.
About the author – Ana Espino
As a scientific writer, Ana is passionate about bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. With expertise in immunology, virology, oncology, and clinical studies, she makes complex science clear and accessible. Her mission: to accelerate knowledge sharing and empower evidence-based decisions through impactful communication.
#SuicidePrevention #Education #MentalHealth
Suicide is a leading cause of preventable death, affecting all age groups and representing a major global public health concern. Health and social care students are expected to play a central role in prevention. Yet, their initial training often includes little specific content on identifying and managing suicidal risk. Existing educational approaches suffer from several limitations: lack of standardization, insufficient evaluation of long-term impact, and poor integration of interprofessional aspects.
The challenge, therefore, lies in designing a structured curriculum that builds knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to intervene effectively. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted to describe the process of developing and implementing a suicide prevention training program for health and social care students, using a collaborative, evidence-based approach.
Should prevention begin in the classroom?
The project followed a four-step methodology: needs analysis, co-construction of content with clinical and educational experts, pilot implementation, and formative evaluation. The curriculum developed included fundamental knowledge on suicide, risk and protective factors, communication techniques, and risk assessment methods. Crisis intervention and referral strategies were also integrated. Learning relied on a blended approach, combining lectures, case studies, role plays, and realistic simulations.
Results showed a significant improvement in students’ theoretical knowledge about risk factors, warning signs, and intervention strategies for suicide prevention. Perceived competence also increased, as did students’ confidence in addressing suicide with patients or service users. Questionnaires and interviews further highlighted the relevance of practical role-play scenarios.
The interdisciplinary dimension of the program was particularly valued for enhancing role understanding, collaborative communication, and the adoption of a holistic approach to care. Overall, these results confirm the effectiveness and relevance of the educational approach in preparing future professionals to intervene with skill and confidence in suicide prevention.
Learning today to protect tomorrow
Suicide remains a major public health issue, requiring urgent and ambitious adaptation of health and social care training. Findings from this program show that a structured curriculum, co-designed with clinical and educational experts and grounded in scientific evidence, can significantly strengthen knowledge, practical skills, and the confidence of future professionals in suicide prevention.
However, these conclusions are based on short-term evaluations conducted with a limited number of participants, which restricts their generalizability. To maximize impact, future steps should include longitudinal evaluations to assess the lasting effect of training on real-world professional practices, as well as adaptation of content to different cultural and organizational contexts.
Finally, the systematic integration of suicide prevention modules into health and social care curricula would ensure broad and sustainable dissemination of the skills needed for effective and compassionate support of people at risk.
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About the author – Ana Espino
PhD in Immunology, specialized in Virology
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