Public Health Nurses' Activities for Suicide Prevention in Japan

Suicide is a major health issue worldwide, including in Japan. Japanese public health nurses (PHNs) play a distinctive role in suicide prevention, although few studies have delineated this role. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework that elucidates PHNs' activities for suicide prevention.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2012-2013 with 15 PHNs who worked in Tokyo metropolitan regions. Data were analyzed qualitatively using grounded theory, and a conceptual framework with seven categories was developed.

Three phases that depict the PHNs' suicide prevention activities emerged. Phase I, Pursuing to understand suicide cases, included two categories: tracing back individual suicide cases and raising consciousness among the general public. Phase II, Spreading a web of care, included three categories: knitting a caring network, weaving regular programs into the web, and continuing to be a member of the web. Phase III, Maintaining motivation and commitment, included two categories: legitimatizing suicide prevention and cultivating continued commitment in the community.

The activities of suicide prevention by PHNs included a process of developing a caring network that lead to the enhancement of the caring capacity of the community as a whole.