| dc.description.abstract | This was a cross- sectional study carried out at the Kenyatta National Teaching and
Referral Hospital, Nairobi. Doctors working in the casualty, medical and surgical
inpatient wards were interviewed in an attempt to establish the management pattern of
attempted suicide cases.
The data was collected from consenting participants using a semi-structured
questionnaire designed by the author. Variables in the questionnaire included sociodemographic
characteristics such as age, gender, marital status; professional
qualification, number of years in employment, number of attempted suicide cases seen in
the last one week, one month and one year; mode of management, assessment of suicide
risk, frequency of use of the suicide intent scale and perceived obstacles to management.
Of the .220 doctors in the selected sample, only 126 (57.3%) responded. The 126
respondents comprised of 107 (85%) males and 18 (14%) female doctors. One (0.8%)
doctor did not state the gender. Of the respondents, 86 (68.3%) were aged below 35
years; with only 1 (0.8%) doctor aged below 25years and 2 0.6%) doctors aged over 50
years. The median age group was 30-34 years with a standard deviation of 1.3. One
hundred and thirteen (90%) were Christians and 83 (65.9%) were married. Majority, 97
(77 %), of the respondents 'worked in the wards, with 29 (23%) working in casualty.
Eighty-three (66%) of the doctors had practiced medicine for 7 years or less, with a
median of 6 years of practice.
The non-psychiatric doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital recognized that attempted
suicide was a psychiatric emergency that was often precipitated by social factors, in
particular, relational conflict. They also recognized that psychiatric morbidity; especially
depression, predisposed patients to attempt suicide.
Referral to psychiatrists and counsellors for management of attempted suicide and
prescription of antidepressants were the management methods most commonly used.
Obstacles to management cited were lack of necessary knowledge and skills, inadequate
numbers of mental health specialists to refer to, inaccessibility and/or unavailability of
mental health specialists to refer to and insufficient time to adequately manage the
patients.
The doctors recognized attempted suicide to be a psychiatric emergency but faced major
obstacles in managing patients who attempted suicide. These findings were discussed and
remedial measures suggested. | en |
| dc.description.department | a
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya | |
