Exploring the Support Needs of People Bereaved by Suicide: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Bereavement by suicide is a unique form of grief characterized by features such as stigma, shame, and rejection that may complicate the grieving process and place people at heightened risk for specific mental health disorders, suicide attempts, and dying by suicide. To better understand the unique support needs of the suicide-bereaved and how these can be met, this Australian study qualitatively explored the experiences of people bereaved by suicide. Fifteen individuals who had lost a spouse or partner or a family member to suicide formed three focus groups across different locations in Queensland, Australia. Analysis identified four dominant themes: changing support needs, difficulties navigating services, experiences of stigma and social isolation, and connecting with others. The results from this study provide a powerful insight into the experiences and specific needs of the suicide-bereaved and could inform further development of suicide bereavement support services.

Experiences of support from primary care and perceived needs of parents bereaved by suicide: a qualitative study

“…by a relative's suicide. [17][18][19] These studies highlight the importance of services being informed by the experiences of suicidebereaved people. However, parents are potentially one of the most traumatised groups of suicide-bereaved people, and there is less evidence available [20][21][22] about how to support them in the UK.…”

“…The variation of length of time since the death may have biased their reflections of support received; however, this time frame is in line with the parameters of previous research with those bereaved by suicide. 18,19 Although the interviews were conducted between 2012 and 2014, the implications of the work are still applicable given the recent calls for improved provision in this area. 3 Comparison with existing literature Although this study did not explore the differences between groups of people bereaved by suicide, based on previous research that has been conducted with suicide-bereaved people more generally, 18,19 the findings suggest that parents' support needs are not dissimilar.…”

“…18,19 Although the interviews were conducted between 2012 and 2014, the implications of the work are still applicable given the recent calls for improved provision in this area. 3 Comparison with existing literature Although this study did not explore the differences between groups of people bereaved by suicide, based on previous research that has been conducted with suicide-bereaved people more generally, 18,19 the findings suggest that parents' support needs are not dissimilar. General practice is an important source of care for many people who are bereaved by suicide, 18,32 and the findings of this study would certainly support that.…”

“…Such intelligence may enable GPs to initiate contact with the bereaved, something which was appreciated by the parents in this study and that has been previously noted as welcomed by individuals bereaved by suicide. 18 A need for a proactive approach has previously been argued, 19 and may help reduce negative health outcomes; 41 however, it is acknowledged that the time and resources for such data gathering could be burdensome.…”

‘We’re the First Port of Call’ – Perspectives of Ambulance Staff on Responding to Deaths by Suicide: A Qualitative Study

“…Training in how to respond to people who are bereaved by suicide more effectively that is informed by 'selfcare' approaches (Grad, 2012) has demonstrated positive results and could be offered to ambulance staff to empower them (McDonnell et al, 2020). This could not only address gaps in ambulance staff 's expertise in relation to responding to suicide, but and help to meet the previously identified needs of bereaved families (Ross et al, 2019;Wainwright et al, 2019). Furthermore, staff support and training are known to be protective factors by increasing resilience (Castelli Dransart et al, 2017) and could help to reduce suicide risk among ambulance workers.…”