Viewing the body after bereavement due to suicide: a population-based survey in Sweden.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Research on the assumed, positive and negative, psychological effects of viewing the body after a suicide loss is sparse. We hypothesized that suicide-bereaved parents that viewed their childs body in a formal setting seldom regretted the experience, and that viewing the body was associated with lower levels of psychological morbidity two to five years after the loss.

Methods and findings

We identified 915 suicide-bereaved parents by linkage of nationwide population-based registries and collected data by a questionnaire. The outcome measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). In total, 666 (73%) parents participated. Of the 460 parents (69%) that viewed the body, 96% answered that they did not regret the experience. The viewing was associated with

SUBMITTER: Omerov P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4085007 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature