Educational Preferences and Outcomes From Suicide Prevention Training in the Veterans Health Administration: One-Year Follow-Up With Healthcare Employees in Upstate New York

This study identified training outcomes & educational preferences of employees who work within the Veterans Health Administration. Using a longitudinal pre- postsurvey design, 71 employees from one geographic region participated in an evaluation of a brief standardized gatekeeper program & a needs assessment on training preferences for suicide & suicide prevention. Results indicate significant differences in knowledge & self-efficacy from pre- to post, although only self-efficacy remained significant at 1-year follow-up, as compared to pre-training. At post-training, 90% of participants were willing to learn more about suicide, with 88% willing to spend more than 1 hour in future training on more advanced topics. (42 refs.) JA