Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in vulnerable migrants: A regional overview of the perceptions and resources of field workers

Several recent studies have reported increased rates of suicidal behavior in some migrant sub-populations, in particular asylum seekers and refugees. We here examine the perceptions and resources of field workers in the Rhone-Alpes region, faced with these problems in vulnerable migrants. This qualitative multicenter study was conducted between June and September 2017 and sought to bring together the viewpoints of various field actors, including healthcare personnel, social workers, and interpreters. We conducted fourteen interviews involving sixty-one field workers, realizing a thematic qualitative analysis with a triangulation of data, and achieved data saturation.This study allowed us to explore field workers’ perceptions of the research issue, its frequency, and its determinants. We were able to identify factors that increase difficulties: social context, cultural differences, communication barriers, limited healthcare access, and insufficient training. We also identified the resources used by professionals to deal with suicidal risk: access to interpreting, a partnership between healthcare and social structures. This study led to suggestions in terms of improved access to care, better dialogue between partners, and better specialized training of field workers within the community about suicidal risk assessment for this population.