What About Us? The Experience and Impact of Patient Suicide on Psychiatrists in Malaysia

MUHAMMAD HANIF, ABD LATIF and NUR IWANA, ABDUL TAIB and NURAZAH, ISMAIL and ABDUL HAKEM, ZAHARI and TUTI IRYANI, MOHD DAUD and RAVIVARMA RAO, PANIRSELVAM and JOHARI, KHAMIS and AHMAD ROSTAM, MD ZIN and HAZLI, ZAKARIA (2024) What About Us? The Experience and Impact of Patient Suicide on Psychiatrists in Malaysia. Medicine & Health, 19 (7). pp. 16-17. ISSN 2289-5728

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Abstract

Despite its impact, grief following a patient’s suicide among psychiatrists in Malaysia is still unrecognised and not responded to systematically, as no local postvention guidelines are available for psychiatrists to get support following the loss. This study aims to describe the experiences of psychiatrists in Malaysia who have encountered patient suicide. This is an ongoing online cross-sectional study conducted among psychiatrists across Malaysia. Data collection has been ongoing since December 2023 and is expected to be completed in July 2024. At the time of writing, there were 73 respondents. Preliminary findings showed that 76.3% of respondents experienced patient suicide, mostly resulting in emotional distress like sadness, regret, guilt, and shame. Approximately 30% experienced effects lasting over a month, with some still ongoing (3.6%). Despite this, most never sought external support or took leave. About two-thirds of the respondents reported negative impacts on their clinical practice; a few considered career or place of practice changes. Many became more cautious with at-risk patients. Over 70% felt pressured to prevent suicide and believe that suicide prevention is the role of psychiatrists. Being blamed and lacking support following the loss were cited as unhelpful actions. Most respondents wanted support mechanisms such as personal debriefing, help in communicating or meeting the patient’s family/ friends, senior clinician involvement, peer support and information about the process following patients’ death by suicide and resources for families affected by suicide. Preliminary results on Malaysian psychiatrists’ experiences with patient suicide loss were coherent with findings from similar studies around the world. The gap in the support system for psychiatrists was highlighted as most of the psychiatrists did not seek external support following the loss. Future guidelines in supporting psychiatrists in Malaysia should include the involvement of senior clinicians and peer support in managing the events after patients’ suicide.

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