Samaritan contact among 325 parasuicide patients

With the aim of aiding primary prevention of parasuicide by Samaritans, a study of 325 parasuicide patients admitted to hospital was undertaken to discover the extent of knowledge about Samaritans, the proportion of patients who had contacted Samaritans and the reasons why the remainder had not done so. Ignorance about Samaritans was found in 28 per cent, such ignorance being significantly more common among teenagers than in other age groups. Only 1.4 per cent had sought help from Samaritans immediately before the present parasuicidal act, though a further 13 per cent had contacted Samaritans previously. Suggestions are made for future public education programmes about Samaritans.