About the course
Training course to strengthen primary care capacities in understanding social determinants, stigma, and myths, and in the early identification, management, and timely referral of suicide risk and self-harm, for prevention in Primary Health Care (PHC).
Course modality
Self-learning (self-paced)
Course duration
10 hours
Background and justification
Suicide is a public health priority. The economic and human costs of suicidal behavior for individuals, families, communities and society make suicide a serious public health problem worldwide. Each year, worldwide, more than 700,000 people die by suicide. The Region of the Americas is the only WHO region where suicide rates have increased in recent decades. It is estimated that around 100,000 people lose their lives to suicide each year, and this figure does not reflect the millions of attempts that occur annually. For every death by suicide, there are at least eight attempts. Each suicide and each attempt represent tragedies that deprive a person of their life and leave a deep mark on families, friendships and communities. Behind each number is a story of suffering that could have been prevented.
Suicide is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon, in which various social determinants interact and impact people's lives: age, social class, education, work, marital status or social exclusion, among others. However, with timely, evidence-based interventions and community support, suicide can be prevented.
In the Region, barriers to accessing appropriate care, lack of trained personnel, existing stigmatization of suicide, and difficulties in reporting and managing suicidal behavior all contribute to placing a person at risk of suicide.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Strategic Plan 2026-2031 recognizes the seriousness of suicide as a public health problem in the Region and includes the "suicide mortality rate" as one of its key impact indicators in line with Indicator 3.4.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, a new strategic line of action on suicide was added to PAHO's Strategy to Improve Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in the Americas, which was approved by the 60th Directing Council in September 2023.
Health personnel—including those who are not mental health specialists—play a fundamental role in the prevention, early detection, and management of suicidal behavior. For this reason, the Mental Health Unit of PAHO has prioritized building the capacity of non-specialized health workers in the mhGAP Intervention Guide version 2.0, in order to ensure that primary health care professionals have the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to provide care to people at risk of suicide.
Competencies
The course aims to provide opportunities to develop the following competencies:
- Provide comprehensive and respectful care to individuals at risk of suicide, ensuring their active participation, respect for their dignity, confidentiality, and privacy, while acting free from myths, stigma, and discrimination.
- Detect, manage, and refer individuals presenting with self-harm and suicidal risk or behavior at the primary care level, in order to prevent suicidal behavior and contribute to reducing suicide mortality rates.
- Promote comprehensive suicide prevention strategies within primary health care settings.
Workload and dedication
Total dedication: 10 hours
Target audience
The course is intended for health care providers, especially those at the first level of care:
-
Health professionals, especially those working in primary care.
-
Medical personnel.
-
Non-medical health workers (primary care nurses, auxiliary personnel, among others).
-
Students of medicine, nursing, public health, and other related disciplines.
-
Public health programe managers.
Course structure
The course "Prevention of Self-Harm and Suicide: Empowering Primary Health Care Professionals" is designed to train health care professionals in the most relevant elements of suicide knowledge, management and prevention.
The course consists of 7 modules, which are listed below:
Module 1: Introduction to Self-Harm and Suicide
Module 2: Ask about self-harm and suicide and forms of clinical presentation
Module 3: Communication skills
Module 4: Assessment of self-harm and suicide
Module 5: Managing Self-Harm and Suicide
Module 6: Follow-up
Module 7: Suicide Prevention Strategies
Assessment and certification
At the end of the course, participants must demonstrate their general knowledge and skills in the management of suicide prevention and self-harm, and be able to convey non-stigmatizing prevention messages while showing greater confidence in managing individuals at risk of suicide.
Upon completion of the seven modules, participants must complete a Final Assessment consisting of a 20-question multiple-choice test. A minimum score of 70% correct answers is required to obtain the certificate, with multiple opportunities to achieve the passing score.
To obtain the course certificate, participants must meet the following requirements:
- Complete all modules.
- Successfully complete each of the role-plays.
- Successfully complete the Final Assessment.
- Fill out the VCPH Quality Survey.
Participants who meet these requirements will be able to download their certificate of course completion, issued by the Pan American Health Organization.