Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Suicide is, nowadays, a public health problem. A million dies annually by suicide worldwide. According to several agencies and organizations an estimation of 20 to 40 suicide attempts is advanced for each complete suicide. Associated costs to suicide, both human and economic, are huge and spread on family, jobs, economy, and finances. Official available figures for suicide in Portugal indicate a rate slightly over 10 for each 100 000 inhabitants, but with regions where one can actually find extremely high rates, like for instance in the Southwest part of the country, where are regularly found rates 3 times higher, when compared to national average. We have investigated the phenomenon aiming to validate the technique of psychological autopsy in a community context never explored before in Portugal and to contribute for a wider understanding of this public health problem, especially in this region of Odemira. Psychological autopsy consists into a detailed gathering of information about the personality and life of someone died in equivocal circumstances (suicide, homicide, accident), registries and other documentation as well as interviews with family members, coworkers and friends. An adaptation of a semi structured interview was made. Two groups of participants were recruited: a group of relatives of people committing suicide (n=30), and a group of relatives of people whose death was after natural causes (n=24). Study was made in 3 moments with presentation sessions; (i) preparation sessions; (ii) interviewing data collection and monitoring iii). Main results showed difficulties to obtain information from interviewees, most suicides were from males over 40 years old, affected by serious illness or severe injury in adulthood but valid to work, retired, living in family, with bitterness, sad or pessimistic as personality traits, with few leisure activities, without significant health somatic problems or mental disorders, communicating intention to die previously, coming from families with no indication of financial distress or inadequate family relationship. Taking into account the literature it looks like some features seem to be quiet particular from this population. Apparently one might say that suicide could have genetic implications which further research should account in the future. Integration of mental health into primary care is urgent once the scarcity of mental health professionals is enormous in a part of the country where most suicides occur. Scaling up services must go in order to address to treatment gap and social determinants of health should be taken into account to face isolation. Results show that the profile of the suicidal in the region of Odemira is particular and implications of genetics should be taken into account. Moreover much can be done in organization of services in the region where we performed the present study in order to address to treatment gap for mental disorders and to the social determinants of health.
Author: José Henrique Catarino Santos
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W188079656