Citation

Petrakis M, Joubert L. Soc. Work Health Care 2013; 52(2-3): 239-257.

Affiliation

Department of Social Work, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences , Monash University , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00981389.2012.737903

PMID

23521387

Abstract

There is a striking absence of literature articulating and evaluating clinical social work contributions to suicide prevention, despite considerable practice in this important field. This article reports on a model of assertive brief psychotherapeutic intervention and facilitated linkage to community services utilized in a prospective cohort study of emergency department suicide attempt aftercare. A key outcome measure, the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), was used with 65 patients to assess psychosocial domains at initial presentation, 4-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months. There were significant improvements in the domains of work, finance, leisure, social life, living situation, personal safety and health by 3 months. There were highly significant correlations between psychosocial improvements and improved depression scores.

Language: en