“They Don’t Know About Suffering”
Reasons from Physicians and Users for the Use of Coercion After a Suicide Attempt in Latin America
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19488781 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Felipe Agudelo-Hernández (0000-0002-8356-8878, Universidad de Burgos, corresponding author), Laura Ines Plata Casas (Secretaría de Salud de Bogotá), Andrés Camilo Delgado-Reyes (Universidad de Manizales) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Human Rights and Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2365-1792 • E-ISSN: 2365-1792 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s41134-026-00463-6 |
| OpenAlex | W7162036200 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
The use of coercive practices worsens recovery processes in mental health. These practices have various forms of presentation that must be identified to incorporate a rights-based approach into care processes. The aim was to describe and analyze the reasons perceived by physicians who employed coercive practices and by the individuals on whom these practices were employed, following a suicide attempt in Caldas, Colombia, in 2023 and 2024. A qualitative, transversal, and descriptive research design was used. Data collection was conducted in two phases: in-depth interviews with individuals who had attempted suicide were carried out between January and December 2024, and interviews with healthcare professionals were conducted between November 2024 and January 2025. A total of 30 participants were included, all of whom had attempted suicide and for whom coercive measures had been taken at a clinical level. In addition, 22 medical professionals who treated one of the 30 participants during their suicide attempt were included. Through content analysis, the interviews were divided into two themes. The first, based on interviews with individuals who had attempted suicide, was titled Reasons perceived by people using health services after a suicide attempt and comprised three categories: Lack of knowledge , Lack of willingness to help , and Obligation . The second theme, Reasons perceived by medical professionals , comprised categories such as Coercion as a primary resource , Coercion in medical training , and Coercion as medical protocol . Coercive measures, even though they are protocolled by health professionals, cause great suffering and hinder the recovery of people who have experienced coercive practices in mental health
Health care · Mental health · Obligation · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Suicide prevention · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
Experiences of involuntary psychiatric admission decision-making
Long covid and medical gaslighting
Perceived Coercion Among Patients Admitted in Psychiatric Wards
Caring for a Crisis”
El Psicofármaco en Chile
Reporting guidelines for qualitative research
Citizen participation, perceived control, and psychological empowerment
Prevention, Health Promotion, and Social Work
Coercive Practices and Psychosocial Disability in People with Suicide Attempts in a Latin American Population
A Qualitative Analysis of Trialogues Between People with Lived Experience, Their Relatives, and Mental Health Professionals
The relevance of exposure to and engagement in human rights in Latin American health students
Human Rights in Chilean Social Work
Exploring the Impact of Human Rights and Mental Health Training on Practice in Ghana
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |