Understanding the Role of Bereavement in the Pathway to Suicide

Abstract

Introduction

Bereavement is considered to be a common precursor of death by suicide. Studies suggest those bereaved by suicide may be particularly vulnerable to suicide themselves. Recently, there has been a concern over the number of deaths by suicide across UK and Europe. As a result, an increasing number have been exposed to bereavement by suicide. It remains unclear how these deaths might impact on future suicide rates.

Objectives

To examine a two-year cohort of all suicides in Northern Ireland, in order to report on bereavements recorded in the records of those who died by suicide. To assess the bearing of these deaths on those left behind.

Aims

To provide an estimate of the prevalence and types of bereavements that may have contributed towards the suicide.

Methods

Following the sociological autopsy approach to studying death by suicide, data was collected from a range of sources, including GP records and Coroner records and interviews with bereaved relatives. The analyses draw on relatives’ accounts in order to increase our understanding of the impact of suicide bereavement. Interviews took place between 18 months and 5 years after the death by suicide.

Results

Of the 403 deaths by suicide, 15% of the individuals experienced bereavement and 9% bereavement by suicide. The results support the assertion in the literature that bereavement by suicide increases the risk of suicide through a process of suicide contagion.

Conclusions

The conclusion explains how the findings will be fed into knowledge translation processes, to provide future programs of suicide prevention research and changes to practice.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.