RESEARCH ARTICLE
The mental health and suicide prevention training module of the French sanitary service: Effectiveness on health students
First published: 21 October 2022 Psychology in the scools
Abstract
Since 2018, a Sanitary Service for Health Students (SSHS) is being implemented throughout France. All French health students must complete their SSHS choosing one of the modules proposed by their institution to be trained to the principles of prevention and then bring them to carry out prevention and health promotion actions in their respective region. A controlled pre/postdesign was conducted to assess the impact of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (MHSP) training module on health students. Students assigned to this module were considered as exposed, and students assigned to any other module as unexposed. Health students from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region involved in the SSHS during the school year 2018–2019 were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire before (September 2018), and after completing their SSHS (May 2019). A total of 144 matched participants (48 in the exposed group and 96 in the unexposed group) were analyzed. When comparing the exposed group to the unexposed group, satisfaction with the training was greater (4.7 vs. 3.6 out of 5, p < 0.001), self-confidence in professional capacities improved (+1.8 vs. −0.2, p = 0.038), students were more likely to report having identified (68% vs. 48%, p = 0.043) or helped (66% vs. 18%, p < 0.001) someone, as well as having consulted for a mental health issue (13% vs. 4%, p = 0.008). In conclusion, the MHSP training module improves health students' confidence in their professional abilities to help distressed people, promotes supportive behaviors of health students, and reinforces their help-seeking behaviors. It could be a useful tool for suicide prevention.
Practitioner Points
The Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (MHSP) training module of the French Sanitary improves health students' confidence in their professional abilities to help distressed people.
The MHSP module training promotes supportive behaviors of health students.
The MHSP training module reinforces the health-seeking behaviors of health students dealing with psychological issues.
Since 2018, a Sanitary Service for Health Students (SSHS) is being implemented throughout France. All French health students must complete their SSHS choosing one of the modules proposed by their institution to be trained to the principles of prevention and then bring them to carry out prevention and health promotion actions in their respective region. A controlled pre/postdesign was conducted to assess the impact of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (MHSP) training module on health students. Students assigned to this module were considered as exposed, and students assigned to any other module as unexposed. Health students from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region involved in the SSHS during the school year 2018–2019 were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire before (September 2018), and after completing their SSHS (May 2019). A total of 144 matched participants (48 in the exposed group and 96 in the unexposed group) were analyzed. When comparing the exposed group to the unexposed group, satisfaction with the training was greater (4.7 vs. 3.6 out of 5, p < 0.001), self-confidence in professional capacities improved (+1.8 vs. −0.2, p = 0.038), students were more likely to report having identified (68% vs. 48%, p = 0.043) or helped (66% vs. 18%, p < 0.001) someone, as well as having consulted for a mental health issue (13% vs. 4%, p = 0.008). In conclusion, the MHSP training module improves health students' confidence in their professional abilities to help distressed people, promotes supportive behaviors of health students, and reinforces their help-seeking behaviors. It could be a useful tool for suicide prevention.
Practitioner Points
The Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (MHSP) training module of the French Sanitary improves health students' confidence in their professional abilities to help distressed people.
The MHSP module training promotes supportive behaviors of health students.
The MHSP training module reinforces the health-seeking behaviors of health students dealing with psychological issues.