People exposed to suicide attempts: Frequency, impact, and the support received

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Objective: Little is known about people who have been exposed to a suicide attempt by someone they know. The purpose of this study was to examine how many people have been exposed to a suicide attempt by someone they knew and whether the exposure was associated with general well-being and suicidal ideation. Method: A population-based online survey was conducted during 2019 in Denmark (n = 6,191). The associations between exposures to suicide attempt and general well-being (WHO-5) and suicidal ideation (Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale) were examined using linear regression analyses. Results: Overall, 24.6% reported having experienced a suicide attempt by someone they knew. Of those, 46.5% had experienced a suicide attempt of a close relation and this group reported having been more affected by the event. Those exposed scored lower on general well-being (b: −3.0; 95% CI: −4.2 to −1.8; p > 0.001) and higher on suicidal ideation (b: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.3 – 1.9; p = 0.001) than those not exposed. Half of the exposed reported not having received sufficient support after the event. Conclusion: Suicide attempt affects a substantial share of the population, and it might be relevant to ensure that support is available for those exposed perceived to be in need of support.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSuicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
Volume51
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)467-477
Number of pages11
ISSN0363-0234
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

    Research areas

  • relatives, stressful life events, suicide attempt

ID: 253083985