Intentions to Help People at Risk of Suicide and Associated Factors: A National Telephone Survey in Taiwan

Objective: Many people at risk of suicide do not actively seek help. Suicide prevention efforts need to involve the general public to provide appropriate support to those in need. It is important to investigate the intention to help those at risk of suicide and the factors associated with helping intentions in the general population. We aimed to assess the intention to help people at risk and associated factors using a national representative sample. Method: We conducted a national telephone survey of 1,087 Taiwanese adults and collected data regarding participants’ socio-demographic characteristics, mental health status, helping intentions, misconceptions about suicide, and attitudes toward suicide and suicide prevention. Results: The prevalence of high intentions to help people at risk of suicide was 56.5%. Helping intentions did not differ by sex, educational level, employment status, marital status, or mental health status. Those with high helping intentions were younger, less likely to have misconceptions about suicide or agree that suicide is a personal choice, and more likely to believe that suicide is preventable and support suicide prevention measures. Conclusions: Suicide prevention education programs aimed to enhance helping intentions may usefully target debunking misconceptions about suicide and cultivating positive attitudes toward suicide prevention.