Perceived Stigma of Sudden Bereavement as a Risk Factor for Suicidal Thoughts and Suicide Attempt: Analysis of British Cross-Sectional Survey Data on 3387 Young Bereaved Adults

Abstract

The sudden death of a friend or relative, particularly by suicide, is a risk factor for suicide. People who experience sudden bereavement report feeling highly stigmatised by the loss, potentially influencing access to support. We assessed whether perceived stigma following sudden bereavement is associated with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt. We analysed cross-sectional survey data on 3387 young adults bereaved by the sudden death of a close contact. We tested the association of high versus low perceived stigma (on the stigma sub-scale of the Grief Experience Questionnaire) with post-bereavement suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, using random effects logistic regression, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, pre-bereavement psychopathology, and mode of sudden bereavement (natural causes/unnatural causes/suicide). Subjects with high perceived stigma scores were significantly more likely to report post-bereavement suicidal thoughts (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.93–3.89) and suicide attempt (AOR = 2.73; 95% CI = 2.33–3.18) than those with low stigma scores. People who feel highly stigmatised by a sudden bereavement are at increased risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt, even taking into account prior suicidal behaviour. General practitioners, bereavement counsellors, and others who support people bereaved suddenly, should consider inquiring about perceived stigma, mental wellbeing, and suicidal thoughts, and directing them to appropriate sources of support.

Shame and Suicidal Ideation among Undergraduates in China: The Mediating Effect of Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness

“…Consistent with the findings of previous studies, we found that shame was related to suicidal ideation in our undergraduate sample. The cross-sectional surveys among British young adults [67] and Chinese undergraduates [25] showed similar conclusions. Due to the pressure of the college entrance examination in Chinese universities, academic achievement has been prioritized over mental health in most of the elementary and secondary schools.…”

Perceptions of the Use of Alcohol and Drugs after Sudden Bereavement by Unnatural Causes: Analysis of Online Qualitative Data

“…Research shows that people bereaved by unnatural causes feel more stigmatised than those bereaved by natural causes [50], and that this stigma is implicated in adverse mental health outcomes [34]. The stigma of sudden bereavement is itself a risk factor for suicide attempt [51], with findings from qualitative [52] and quantitative [26] research suggest that this stigma can limit support from others [50]. By marketing support services to encourage young people bereaved by unnatural causes to access support for substance misuse and other difficulties, this stigma would be challenged whilst also encouraging help-seeking.…”

Attitudes to suicide following the suicide of a friend or relative: a qualitative study of the views of 429 young bereaved adults in the UK

“…We also suggested various explanations for the association between suicide bereavement and suicide attempt, based on the literature and clinical observation [ 2 ]. These included: the psychological trauma of a suicide loss; shared familial or environmental vulnerabilities to mental illness and suicidality; the influence of stigma [ 12 ] on help-seeking; and suicide suggestion [ 13 ]. The last of these describes the impact of a role model’s suicide or suicide attempt on a person’s internal constraints against self-harm, [ 14 ] whether due to social learning, imitation or emotional contagion [ 13 ].…”