Archives: Research

Northern Ireland (NI) has one of the highest rates of suicide in the UK and, unlike other countries; the rate among young men has been increasing in recent years. Only 28% of individuals who die by suicide in NI have been in touch with health services. The majority, therefore, are unknown to health and social services and may not be receiving the help they need. There is a need to understand the risk factors for suicide so that interventions can be targeted to those most at risk. Interest is increasing in the biological and social factors which may influence suicide risk including existing physical illness or exposure to suicide in the family. The study aims to utilize data on the family from the 2001 Census linked to death data from the GRO in the subsequent decade to determine if exposure to death by suicide in the family is associated with an increased risk of suicide in the individual.

Mental ill health places a major disease burden on society and Northern Ireland has one of the highest rates of poor mental health in the UK. A range of risk factors for poor mental health have been identified including deprivation, low education, unemployment, co-morbid physical health problems and family history. However, there are many questions relating to mental health that remain unclear; some of these form the basis of the proposed study and are listed below.

Childhood environment can have a long-term impact on the individual by initiating health trajectories that either protect or increase vulnerability over the lifespan (Wadsworth ME, 1997). Change of residence can be an emotionally distressing experience, especially for children, as it can lead to the discontinuation of both familial life and social networks (Qin P, 2009). Stressful changes the individual has no control of, can be difficult to cope with and thus affect emotional well-being.

The provision of informal care[1] within the family and among neighbours plays an increasingly important role for individuals, local communities and social services in today’s ageing societies. Informal care within the home is a potentially cost effective way of maintaining people’s independence and it is a mode of care that is often found to be preferred by clients (Genet et al. 2011). However, informal care poses a considerable strain on the carer, and experiences of stress, burden and fatigue are common. If experienced over prolonged periods of time, caregiver strain and burden can result in mental health problems, such as anxiety and episodes of depression (Falloon, Graham-Hole, and Woodroffe 1993; Coope et al. 1995; Livingston, Manela, and Katona 1996; Falloon, Graham-Hole, and Woodroffe 2009).