Family Practice Advance Access originally published online on July 14, 2009
Family Practice 2009 26(5):372-376; doi:10.1093/fampra/cmp046
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A survey of Dutch GPs’ attitudes towards help seeking and follow-up care for relatives bereaved by suicide
a Department of Psychiatry
b Department of General Practice Medicine
c Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
Correspondence to Marieke de Groot, Department of Psychiatry and Department of General Practice Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; E-mail: m.h.de.groot{at}med.umcg.nl
Received 14 May 2009; Accepted 16 June 2009.
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Abstract |
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Background. Relatives who are bereaved by suicide likely consult their GP when they feel the need for professional help. GPs may play a key role in establishing who is at risk for adverse consequences of the loss as they are familiar with relatives’ possible psychiatric vulnerabilities. The availability of evidence-based services for relatives of suicide victims is limited. Successful implementation of services needs analysis of key factors considered critical in the achievement of changes. We investigated GPs’ management of help requests of relatives bereaved by suicide and examined determinants of GPs willingness to refer for evidence-based follow-up care.
Methods. A cross-sectional survey among 488 GPs in the northern part of The Netherlands.
Results. A 44% response was achieved (n = 214) during the last 3 years, 38 (18%) were exposed to suicide, 21 (10%) to help requests without being exposed to suicide and 52 (24%) to both suicide and help requests. Out of 106 requests, 69 (65%) were handled by the GP; 60 (57%) were either directly or additionally referred, principally for mental health care. Suicide exposure and female gender were associated with the doctor's perception that follow-up care following a loss through suicide is useful. The perception that help is useful increased the likelihood of GPs’ referral for evidence-based follow-up care.
Conclusions. GPs support the availability of evidence-based follow-up care for relatives of suicide victims. To modify GPs’ key role in referring relatives for it, GPs should be well informed of its usefulness and to whom.
de Groot M, van der Meer K and Burger H. A survey of Dutch GPs’ attitudes towards help seeking and follow-up care of relatives bereaved by suicide. Family Practice 2009; 26: 372–376.