“Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country
Abstract Background Annually, 800, 000 die from suicide worldwide. However, suicide is believed to be rare in our environment. Suicide causes significant life disruptions in people bereaved by it. These disruptions result from associated complicated grieving pattern characterised by stigma, feeling...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-019-0153-3 |
| _version_ | 1818273633451114496 |
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| author | Samuel Robsam Ohayi |
| author_facet | Samuel Robsam Ohayi |
| author_sort | Samuel Robsam Ohayi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Annually, 800, 000 die from suicide worldwide. However, suicide is believed to be rare in our environment. Suicide causes significant life disruptions in people bereaved by it. These disruptions result from associated complicated grieving pattern characterised by stigma, feeling of shame, responsibility, guilt, etc. People therefore usually want to be certain that their relation indeed died from suicide. Being certain can in part help survivors achieve closure. A pathologist is often called upon to diagnose the actual cause of death in suspected suicide. The aim of this paper is to highlight the perception and attitude of survivors to suicide in our environment. Methods This is a prospective study carried out in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Data was obtained by audio-recording and transcription of face-to-face interviews of 8 groups of relatives who had presented to the pathologist for autopsy of their relation suspected to have committed suicide. Transcribed data was double checked for accuracy and analysed. Informed consent was obtained from participants. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethical Committee of the hospital. Results There were 8 cases of suspected suicide over a 7-year period accounting for 0.6% of all violent deaths in the period. The central attitude of survivors in all the cases was denial of the event. At all the meetings survivors desired the pathologist to report cause of death differently than suicide. Also, in all cases, the extended family felt affected by the event. The following six themes in descending order of importance were identified to underlie survivors’ attitude to suicide: fear of stigma and its consequent isolation, fear of economic repercussions, a conflict of choice of cause of death stemming from religious beliefs about the afterlife, feeling of shame and anger against the deceased and fear that acknowledging the event may bring a repeat in the family. Conclusion There is profound fear of stigma and associative concerns which leads to outright suicide-denial. There is a need to educate the society about the reality and dynamics of suicide. This will make a bereaved person open to receiving requisite care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:01:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f8a7bc36af8464dba0a0e7c5ffa793a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2090-5939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:01:04Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f8a7bc36af8464dba0a0e7c5ffa793a2022-12-22T00:10:31ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences2090-59392019-08-01911710.1186/s41935-019-0153-3“Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing countrySamuel Robsam Ohayi0Department of Histopathology, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital & College of MedicineAbstract Background Annually, 800, 000 die from suicide worldwide. However, suicide is believed to be rare in our environment. Suicide causes significant life disruptions in people bereaved by it. These disruptions result from associated complicated grieving pattern characterised by stigma, feeling of shame, responsibility, guilt, etc. People therefore usually want to be certain that their relation indeed died from suicide. Being certain can in part help survivors achieve closure. A pathologist is often called upon to diagnose the actual cause of death in suspected suicide. The aim of this paper is to highlight the perception and attitude of survivors to suicide in our environment. Methods This is a prospective study carried out in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Data was obtained by audio-recording and transcription of face-to-face interviews of 8 groups of relatives who had presented to the pathologist for autopsy of their relation suspected to have committed suicide. Transcribed data was double checked for accuracy and analysed. Informed consent was obtained from participants. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethical Committee of the hospital. Results There were 8 cases of suspected suicide over a 7-year period accounting for 0.6% of all violent deaths in the period. The central attitude of survivors in all the cases was denial of the event. At all the meetings survivors desired the pathologist to report cause of death differently than suicide. Also, in all cases, the extended family felt affected by the event. The following six themes in descending order of importance were identified to underlie survivors’ attitude to suicide: fear of stigma and its consequent isolation, fear of economic repercussions, a conflict of choice of cause of death stemming from religious beliefs about the afterlife, feeling of shame and anger against the deceased and fear that acknowledging the event may bring a repeat in the family. Conclusion There is profound fear of stigma and associative concerns which leads to outright suicide-denial. There is a need to educate the society about the reality and dynamics of suicide. This will make a bereaved person open to receiving requisite care.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-019-0153-3SuicideSuicide survivorPerceptionAttitudeComplicated grievingStigma |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Robsam Ohayi “Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences Suicide Suicide survivor Perception Attitude Complicated grieving Stigma |
| title | “Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country |
| title_full | “Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country |
| title_fullStr | “Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country |
| title_short | “Doctor, please don’t say he died by suicide”: exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country |
| title_sort | doctor please don t say he died by suicide exploring the burden of suicide survivorship in a developing country |
| topic | Suicide Suicide survivor Perception Attitude Complicated grieving Stigma |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-019-0153-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samuelrobsamohayi doctorpleasedontsayhediedbysuicideexploringtheburdenofsuicidesurvivorshipinadevelopingcountry |