Public health nurses' assessment of the background factors of familicide

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe public health nurses' assessment of the background factors of familicide, factors that promote or prevent identification of these factors and familicide-related education. The researchers sought to provide information that would help public health nurses recognise and prevent family tragedies as well as the development of education. Public health nurses (n = 85) working at clinics in Finland were surveyed using an electronic questionnaire. The quantitative data was described through statistics and open questions were analysed using inductive content analysis. Approximately one-third (33 per cent) of the nurses considered their ability to identify the background factors of familicide as very poor or poor, and most (87 per cent) felt that they needed additional training. The identification of background factors is hindered by a lack of both resources and multiprofessionalism, fragmentation of care conditions, fear, cultural challenges, and education inadequacies.