Workshops for approaching suicidal behavior: implementation in Primary Health Care.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health
• Healthcare Professional Education

Background:

• Primary Health Care (PHC) settings are crucial for identifying and managing individuals experiencing psychological distress and suicidal behavior.
• Effective approaches require trained and collaborative healthcare professionals and managers within the PHC system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of workshops designed to improve the approach to individuals with suicidal behavior for PHC workers and managers.
• To evaluate the impact of these workshops on knowledge, skills, and collaborative practices.

Main Methods:

• Action research methodology employed with PHC professionals in São Paulo countryside.
• Charles Maguerez's Arch methodology utilized as the theoretical framework for workshop construction.
• Active learning strategies and reflection-action exercises incorporated into workshop design.

Main Results:

• Participants demonstrated increased awareness regarding the approach to suicidal behavior.
• Enhanced articulation and co-responsibility between PHC professionals and managers were observed.
• The workshops fostered a more integrated approach to caring for users with suicidal behavior in PHC.

Conclusions:

• The implemented workshops successfully broadened knowledge and facilitated skill development among PHC professionals.
• Training improved the capacity of PHC services to care for individuals with suicidal behavior.
• The study highlights the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in strengthening mental health support within primary care.