Insights from primary care workers supporting people at risk of suicide in local communities in Japan: A qualitative descriptive study

Aim: To identify insights for supporting people at risk of suicide in the community based on primary healthcare workers' experiences.

Design: Qualitative descriptive design.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen primary healthcare workers employed by Japanese municipalities between August and October 2019. The data were subjected to qualitative descriptive analysis.

Results: The analysis revealed eleven subthemes, clustered under the following three themes: (1) fostering 'opportunities for discovery' for people at risk of suicide by encompassing strategies such as increasing access to services and promoting a holistic understanding of the life cycle; (2) fostering 'meaningful connections' by searching for channels to reach the heart and taking approaches from different objectives; and (3) engaging in 'risk management', by understanding and coping with real-life struggles and implementing timely crisis intervention.

Conclusion: Not only direct care targeting suicide prevention but also holistic care that includes atypical perspectives such as 'approaches from different objectives' may provide important insights for supporting people with suicide risk.

Implications for practice: Beyond the limitations of existing suicide risk screening methods, this study highlights the importance of a holistic approach that sees people at risk of suicide in the context of their daily lives and aims to alleviate the difficulties in their lives that have brought them to the point of considering suicide.

Impact: By describing support focused on the difficulties that people at risk of suicide face in their daily lives, this study identified insights for supporting people at risk of suicide in communities where screening and intervention are difficult. These findings will contribute to the relief of people at risk of suicide by stimulating suicide prevention measures in primary healthcare settings.

Reporting method: This study complied with the COREQ guidelines.

Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution.