Satisfaction of suicide attempters with the treatment on psychiatric wards of general hospitals: A comparison with other patients
In order to get an impression of the satisfaction of suicide attempters a questionnaire study was conducted among 107 in-patients on the psychiatric wards of four general hospitals. Twenty nine of these patients were admitted for suicide attempts. Their satisfaction with the emotional support, the ward atmosphere, and their stay in general was studied. Biographic characteristics seem not substantially to influence the satisfaction. The results showed, however, more complaints among the suicide attempters. Their dissatisfaction was related to a lack of correspondence between their experienced personal problems and the treatment received. Differences in satisfaction between suicide attempters and other patients seems not to be explained by the differences in psychopathology. Information about suicide attempters' attitudes towards their treatment in hospitals may possibly provide an important means to improve the quality of care and the prevention of suicide.