Contacting the family after a suicide

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health
• Bereavement Studies

Background:

• Post-suicide patient family contact by psychiatrists is infrequent.
• Understanding family needs after patient suicide is crucial for mental health support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate psychiatrists' contact with families of suicide victims.
• To determine if families of suicide victims desire contact from psychiatrists.
• To identify reasons for the disparity between initiated contact and family wishes.

Main Methods:

• A two-part survey methodology was employed.
• The survey targeted psychiatrists regarding their contact with suicide victims' families.
• Families of suicide victims were surveyed regarding received and desired contact.

Main Results:

• Contact was initiated by psychiatrists in only one out of twelve cases.
• Eleven out of twelve families expressed a wish for contact from the psychiatrist.
• A significant discrepancy exists between psychiatrist-initiated contact and family desires.

Conclusions:

• There is a notable gap in post-suicide care regarding family contact by psychiatrists.
• Family members of suicide victims often desire communication that is not being provided.
• Further research is needed to understand and address the reasons for this communication gap.