Impact of Male Suicide on Women Survivors in Rural India

Background: Rural women surviving the suicide death of male family members face multiple adverse socio-cultural and environmental barriers with limited access to health and support services. Research in India on such women survivors is lacking. Methods: This study examined 149 women survivors of the suicide death of a male family member in rural southern India. Assessments included socio-demographic details, issues faced, and 11 support received, the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief-Present (TRIG-Present) to assess 12 grief, the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess mental status, and the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE) to measure 14 survivors’ coping strategies. Results: The survivors faced multiple personal, social, and economic hardships, more so the surviving widows. They scored high on all the domains of TRIG-present, and most experienced severe or extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress. The survivors had not received any mental health support since the suicide event. Some but not all survivors received emotional and instrumental support, predominantly from the natal family and the social network. There was a correlation between the nature of survivors’ coping strategies and psychopathology. Conclusions: Women surviving the suicide death of male family members in rural India suffered from significant psychosocial and mental health adversities but did not receive any mental health support. Socio-culturally appropriate postvention services with the involvement of governmental and nongovernmental agencies and the community that start early after the suicide event are required to support such survivors in managing the consequences of their suicide loss.