Suicide Trends, Factors, and Associated Burden for Suicide Loss Survivors in Ghana

Background: Suicide remains a taboo subject for many people in Ghana, buried in cultural beliefs. Suicide deaths are frequently addressed without regard for the effect such events have on the bereaved relatives. Aim: To explore what is known about suicide in Ghana and how suicide bereavement might impact families. Method: Narrative review based on a thorough literature search in PsycINFO, Scopus, and PubMed. Gray literature as well as organizational reports and newspaper articles were also included. Demographics, trends, patterns, and factors for suicidal behavior are explored. Results: The findings are contextualized within the Ghanaian social context of suicide and the ramifications for the bereaved individuals. Suicidal behavior is influenced by elements in an individual's micro- and macro-systems, such as conflicting relationships, poor academic achievement, cultural practices, the death of a spouse, and socioeconomic reasons. These variables render a death by suicide more challenging for the bereaved. Limitation: The findings cannot be generalized to other countries. Conclusion: The devastating impact of suicide bereavement in Ghana must be understood within a sociocultural context. Nonetheless, few studies have investigated the experiences of suicide loss survivors, leaving a substantial gap in the understanding and development of postvention and suicide bereavement support in this country.