Citation

Spillane A, Matvienko-Sikar K, Larkin C, Arensman E. Arch. Suicide Res. 2019; ePub(ePub): 1-23.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2019.1574248

PMID

30734665

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have explored the impact that self-harm has on family members, with none specifically focussing on physical and psychosomatic responses following a family member's high-risk self-harm Therefore, this study aims to explore the health impact of experiencing a family member's high-risk self-harm.

METHODS: Participants represented family members of consecutive cases of self-harm, who were recruited from the Suicide Support and Information System: A Case-Control Study (SSIS-ACE). Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine participants whose family member presented to a large tertiary hospital in Ireland with high-risk self-harm. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Results: Qualitative findings indicated four superordinate themes in relation to experiences following a family member's presentation to hospital following an episode of high-risk self-harm (1) implications for health and wellbeing; (2) process of meaning-making; (3) feelings of responsibility and (4) challenges with support network.

CONCLUSION: Participants consistently experienced adverse health impacts including vomiting, hypertension and depression. The findings imply that caring for their own and their family members' wellbeing, together with challenges with accessing health services underscores the importance of family members being proactively contacted by healthcare professionals to alleviate these detrimental health effects.

Language: en

Keywords

Self-harm; health; high-risk; interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); near-fatal; qualitative methods