A qualitative study to assess the impacts of bereavement by suicide

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Whitebrook, John (2022) A qualitative study to assess the impacts of bereavement by suicide. In: Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide - Volunteer Assembly, 18 Jun 2022, Derby, England. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Suicide is widely acknowledged as a significant, and pervasive, global public health issue. This study aimed to assess how people felt impacted after the loss of a loved one to suicide, using a qualitative design. Data were collected using in-depth face-to-face and video semi-structured interviews. Audio-recordings of the interviews were transcribed and analysed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Eight people, recruited from Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) members, participated in the study. Five super-ordinate themes emerged from the data namely: Pre-bereavement Issues, Consequences, Perceptions, Organisational Challenges and Support Network. Findings show that survivors’ lives are greatly affected and that they often feel that those they lost were let down by the healthcare system. Perceptions of losses vary by relationship and elapsed time. Further education and training are required for healthcare and legal professionals, plus the emergency services, to enhance understanding of the specific needs of those bereaved by suicide. There is a strong sense that society needs a much greater, and better, awareness of suicide, and its impacts, including the availability of bereavement assistance. Participants have been significantly assisted by participation in peer support groups but feel that the approach to postvention, and prevention, is highly fragmented and requires overhaul, with survivors having a much larger role.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Lecture)
Keywords:	Suicide survivor bereavement impact
Subjects:	Psychology
Depositing User:	John Whitebrook
Date Deposited:	07 Jul 2022 09:34
Last Modified:	07 Jul 2022 09:34
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/9215

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A qualitative study to assess the impacts of bereavement by suicide

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