Dealing with suicidal behavior in a Dutch detention setting: using e-learning to improve knowledge, attitude and skills of prison staff.

A proper suicide prevention programme in a correctional setting is imperative, especially for prison staff. It is known that suicide is the most common cause of death in correctional settings. Developing an elearning module with the focus on changing knowledge, attitude and managing skills can contribute to a state-of the art mental health care for suicidal patients. The objective of this research is whether prison staff can benefit from an elearning module suicide prevention.

Our primary outcome is to change knowledge, attitude and managing skills of prison staff. We hypothesis that the elearning module will contribute to improve knowledge, attitude and skills

1. Start/ pre measure
2. post measure
3. three month follow-up

In the intervention group all staff members will study the e-learning module suicide prevention. This 60-minute e-learning module contains theoretical information and additional vignettes on the management of suicidal patients. The e-learning module aims to improve knowledge, attitude and skills of the prison staff in managing suicidal prisoners. Changes at these points will be measured at baseline, directly after completing the module and at 3 months follow-up. The control group will only fill out the preliminary questionnaire and the three month follow-up. After the assessment at three months the control group will also participate in the e-learning module