Studying Suicide Risk Factors Through Psychological Autopsy Interviews in French Overseas Territories Including French Polynesia, La Reunion, French Guiana, and Martinique

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying suicide and mental health risk factors in four French overseas territoriesFrench Polynesia, La Reunion, French Guiana, and Martiniqueby comparing them to a site in mainland France Amiens. The study aims to identify common or unique suicide risk factors in these diverse populations using a combined quantitative and qualitative approach including psychological autopsy interviews. The study involves collecting data from relatives of people who died by suicide through two semi-structured storytelling interviews. These interviews use various questionnaires and evaluation tools such as the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic SCID, Life Trajectory questionnaire, anthropological evaluation grid, and others to explore mental disorders, life events, socio-cultural aspects, and emotional states. A maximum of 30 cases per site will be included over a 23-month recruitment period. Participants will be interviewed twice once between 2 and 11 months after the suicide, and again one month later for follow-up. This follow-up helps provide support to the bereaved and assess the impact of the interviews. Researchers will analyze risk factors, mental disorders, childhood or lifetime violence, adversity scores, and social and cultural elements linked to suicide risk. The total study duration is 24 months, with each participant involved for about one month after initial inclusion.

Contribution of Psychological Autopsy to the Understanding of Suicidal Behaviors in French Overseas Territories