TY - JOUR PY - 2020// TI - "Time to try something new" - professionals' experiences and reflections on suicide prevention in Norway JO - Crisis A1 - Espeland, Kristin A1 - Knizek, Birthe Loa A1 - Hjelmeland, Heidi SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - BACKGROUND: The suicide rate in Norway has remained relatively stable despite 25 years of government-funded suicide prevention efforts.

AIM: We aimed to gather experiences of the professionals responsible for implementing suicide prevention action plans and guidelines and/or involved in relevant research.

METHOD: We conducted semistructured interviews with 22 professionals about their reflections on the priorities and work done so far as well as where to go next. Data were analyzed by means of thematic analysis.

RESULTS: The participants described conflicting understandings and a monopolization of "the truth" within the suicide prevention community. They perceived the dominant biomedical understanding of suicidality and appurtenant approach to suicide prevention as too narrow. Thus, they found the suicide prevention work and collaboration challenging and recommend that it is time to try something new. Limitations: This study was conducted in a Norwegian context. A biomedical approach to suicide prevention is, however, common internationally.

CONCLUSION: Participants described several challenges in the suicide prevention work. The contemporary "regime of truth" limits how suicide is understood and studied, as well as how suicide prevention is approached. A more open approach to suicide prevention, emphasizing the importance of relationships, context, and collaboration between sectors, is recommended.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0227-5910 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000740 ID - ref1 ER -