SUICIDE IN PSYCHIATRIC-CARE AS SEEN BY THE SURVIVORS

Members of suicide survivor organizations are likely to have unique ex periences of the psychiatric care of suicidal persons. The present stu dy represents an attempt to provide a feedback of such experiences to the caregivers, through a collaborative research project with the Swed ish organization for suicide survivors, the SPES. A questionnaire was mailed to the then 110 members of SPES, containing 25 general question s concerning their membership in the organization and their possible w illingness to participate in a research project. Fifty-six per cent of the members returned the questionnaire. One year later a second quest ionnaire was mailed to the members, who had now increased to 150, with questions focusing on possible experiences of psychiatric care of the ir dead relatives. Sixty per cent answered, and two-thirds reported su ch experiences. Among those willing to be interviewed, we contacted 20 subjects who were judged, on the basis of their responses and comment s to the questionnaires, to be representative for the group. From thes e, 15 subjects were selected for an interview, which was performed by a psychotherapeutically trained interviewer who is also a supporting m ember of the SPES. From these interviews, 13 core issues concerning ps ychiatric care emerged. The relatives were highly critical of several aspects of the psychiatric care organization. Although a critical atti tude from a surviving relative is hardly surprising, the criticism was most often relevant and constructive and should lead to improvements in the delivery of psychiatric care to suicidal individuals.