Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
See Trial Lecture.
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Merete Nordentoft, University of Copenhagen,
- Second opponent: Professor emeritus Bo Runeson, Karolinska Institutet,
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Reidar Tyssen, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Associate Professor Anita Johanna Tørmoen, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Kim Stene-Larsen, FHI - Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Summary
Losing a loved one to suicide is a highly distressing event that can impact mental health, employment, and social functioning. This thesis examines employment status and mental health care utilization, both before and after suicide bereavement. The studies are based on Norwegian population-wide registry data and include adults who lost a parent, partner, child, or sibling to suicide.
Individuals bereaved by parental suicide were more likely to be unemployed at the time of bereavement, particularly women and those losing a mother. Among those who were employed at the time of the loss, there was a slightly increased risk of non-employment after five years, suggesting that the consequences may be long-lasting.
Suicide-bereaved individuals had a higher rate of GP consultations for mental health reasons prior to the loss. After bereavement, consultations increased sharply, peaking in the first months before gradually stabilizing at a higher level than before the loss. The increase was most pronounced among women and those who had lost a partner or child.
For total mental health care use, four different patterns were identified. Most bereaved individuals had little or no contact with healthcare providers for mental health concerns, while a minority exhibited high and persistent healthcare use both before and after bereavement, and this group had the highest risk of themselves dying of suicide.
Our research shows that individuals bereaved by suicide are a diverse group, with varying patterns of help-seeking in healthcare services and employment. The findings highlight the importance of early support, particularly for those already in a vulnerable situation. Improved follow-up from healthcare services and greater knowledge about high-risk groups may help prevent the negative consequences of suicide.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.