What Can We Do to Help and Understand Survivors of Suicide in Hong Kong?

Crisis ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 183-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W.C. Wong ◽  
Wincy S.C. Chan ◽  
Philip S.L. Beh
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Suicide Survivors ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
Survivors Of Suicide

Survivors of suicide or people bereaved by suicide are underresearched and underserviced. This report contains preliminary data, collected from a psychological autopsy study, which examines the characteristics of suicide survivors in Hong Kong. This paper considers the preliminary data currently available and attempts to suggest a way forward toward understanding and help for this underrecognized group of individuals in Hong Kong.

scholarly journals Suicide among adults aged 30–49: A psychological autopsy study in Hong Kong

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul WC Wong ◽  
Wincy SC Chan ◽  
Eric YH Chen ◽  
Sandra SM Chan ◽  
YW Law ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study

Elderly suicide in Hong Kong - a case-controlled psychological autopsy study

2004 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. F. K. Chiu ◽  
P. S. F. Yip ◽  
I. Chi ◽  
S. Chan ◽  
J. Tsoh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
Elderly Suicide

Suicide in Later Life: Psychological Autopsy Findings

1991 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeates Conwell ◽  
Kurt Olsen ◽  
Eric D. Caine ◽  
Catherine Flannery
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
Autopsy Findings ◽  
Completed Suicide ◽  
Viable Method

The authors report preliminary data from a psychological autopsy study of completed suicide in late life. Sixteen of 18 victims had diagnosable psychopathology, most commonly major depression of late onset. Symptoms manifest prior to death are described and directions for future investigation discussed. The psychological autopsy is shown to be a viable method for studying suicide in the elderly.

scholarly journals Suicide in Hong Kong: a case-control psychological autopsy study

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 815-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIC Y. H. CHEN ◽  
WINCY S. C. CHAN ◽  
PAUL W. C. WONG ◽  
SANDRA S. M. CHAN ◽  
CECILIA L. W. CHAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Suicide Rate ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Next Of Kin ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
Chinese Populations ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Wide Range

Background. The relative contribution of psychosocial and clinical risk factors to suicide among Chinese populations is an important issue. In Hong Kong, this issue requires vigorous examination in light of a 50% increase in suicide rate between 1997 and 2003.Method. Using a case-control psychological autopsy method, 150 suicide deceased were compared with 150 living controls matched by age and gender. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the next-of-kin of the subjects. Data were collected on a wide range of potential risk and protective factors, including demographic, life event, clinical and psychological variables. The relative contribution of these factors towards suicide was examined in a multiple logistic regression model.Results. Six factors were found to significantly and independently contribute to suicide: unemployment, indebtedness, being single, social support, psychiatric illness, and history of past attempts.Conclusions. Both psychosocial and clinical factors are important in suicides in Hong Kong. They seem to have mediated suicide risk independently. In addition, socio-economic adversities seem to have played a relatively important role in the increasing suicide rate in Hong Kong.

Research Participation Experiences of Informants of Suicide and Control Cases

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W. C. Wong ◽  
Wincy S. C. Chan ◽  
Philip S. L. Beh ◽  
Fiona W. S. Yau ◽  
Paul S. F. Yip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Research Participation ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Initial Contact ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
The People ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Background: Ethical issues have been raised about using the psychological autopsy approach in the study of suicide. The impact on informants of control cases who participated in case-control psychological autopsy studies has not been investigated. Aims: (1) To investigate whether informants of suicide cases recruited by two approaches (coroners’ court and public mortuaries) respond differently to the initial contact by the research team. (2) To explore the reactions, reasons for participation, and comments of both the informants of suicide and control cases to psychological autopsy interviews. (3) To investigate the impact of the interviews on informants of suicide cases about a month after the interviews. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used for the informants of both suicide and control cases. Telephone follow-up interviews were conducted with the informants of suicide cases. Results: The majority of the informants of suicide cases, regardless of the initial route of contact, as well as the control cases were positive about being approached to take part in the study. A minority of informants of suicide and control cases found the experience of talking about their family member to be more upsetting than expected. The telephone follow-up interviews showed that none of the informants of suicide cases reported being distressed by the psychological autopsy interviews. Limitations: The acceptance rate for our original psychological autopsy study was modest. Conclusions: The findings of this study are useful for future participants and researchers in measuring the potential benefits and risks of participating in similar sensitive research. Psychological autopsy interviews may be utilized as an active engagement approach to reach out to the people bereaved by suicide, especially in places where the postvention work is underdeveloped.

A Multidimensional Theory of Suicide

Crisis ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 416-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoon A. Leenaars ◽  
Gudrun Dieserud ◽  
Susanne Wenckstern ◽  
Kari Dyregrov ◽  
David Lester ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidimensional Model ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Suicide Survivors ◽  
Background Theory ◽  
Independent Verification ◽  
Suicide Notes ◽  
Interjudge Reliability ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Deceased People

Abstract. Background: Theory is the foundation of science; this is true in suicidology. Over decades of studies of suicide notes, Leenaars developed a multidimensional model of suicide, with international (crosscultural) studies and independent verification. Aim: To corroborate Leenaars's theory with a psychological autopsy (PA) study, examining age and sex of the decedent, and survivor's relationship to deceased. Method: A PA study in Norway, with 120 survivors/informants was undertaken. Leenaars' theoretical–conceptual (protocol) analysis was undertaken of the survivors' narratives and in-depth interviews combined. Results: Substantial interjudge reliability was noted (κ = .632). Overall, there was considerable confirmatory evidence of Leenaars's intrapsychic and interpersonal factors in suicide survivors' narratives. Differences were found in the age of the decedent, but not in sex, nor in the survivor's closeness of the relationship. Older deceased people were perceived to exhibit more heightened unbearable intrapsychic pain, associated with the suicide. Conclusion: Leenaars's theory has corroborative verification, through the decedents' suicide notes and the survivors' narratives. However, the multidimensional model needs further testing to develop a better evidence-based way of understanding suicide.

Reclaiming and Reshaping Life: Patterns of Reconstruction After the Suicide of a Loved One

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 994-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolores Angela Castelli Dransart
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Suicide Survivors ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Life Patterns ◽  
Survivors Of Suicide ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

The objective of this study is to identify patterns (components and processes) of reconstruction of suicide survivors. In-depth interviews were conducted with 50 survivors of suicide in Switzerland. Data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti and according to the Grounded Theory principles. Survivors of suicide face four major challenges: dealing with the impact of suicide, searching for meaning, clarifying responsibility, and finding a personal style of reaction and coping. The various ways in which survivors fare through the specific processes of the challenges result in various patterns of reconstruction: the vulnerability, transformation, commitment, and hard blow. The unique characteristics and dynamics of each of them are highlighted. Health care providers would benefit from an approach based on the dynamics of the various patterns of reconstruction in providing appropriate support to survivors of suicide.

Depression and impulsiveness among soldiers who died by suicide: A psychological autopsy study

2018 ◽  
Vol 235 ◽  
pp. 341-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Shelef ◽  
Neta Korem ◽  
Nirit Yavnai ◽  
Rinat Yedidya ◽  
Keren Ginat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study
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