[Beliefs of primary care professionals regarding people with suicidal behavior: A qualitative study]

In Chile, suicide is a public health problem. The National Suicide Prevention Program has influenced the stabilization of suicide rates and considers as one of its components the training of primary care professionals in addressing suicidal behavior. It has been shown that the way in which professionals approach the phenomenon has a high influence on the implementation of preventive measures. The objective of this qualitative descriptive study. is to explore the beliefs of primary care professionals regarding people with suicidal behavior. It was developed in 3family health centers in Santiago de Chile with fourteen health professionals participants. Semi-structured interviews were carried out. The data were analyzed according to the procedures proposed by Grounded Theory. The beliefs of the participating professionals regarding suicidal behavior are grouped into (1) validation of suicidal behavior and (2) suicidal behavior should not be judged. A frequent ambivalence of the participants between these 2elements stands out, which makes it difficult for them to consider a single professional position regarding suicide. The beliefs reflect a relativization of the value of life, and ambivalent beliefs regarding the voluntary end of life, based on value judgments regarding suicide. The results can serve to guide future training for health teams in addressing suicidal behaviors.