Mental Health and Social Isolation Among Survivors ten Years after a Suicide in the Family: a Case-Control Study

The aim of this study was to investigate mental health & social isolation in surviving family members 10 years after a suicide as compared to matched general population controls. Minor mental disorders were more common among suicide survivors than among general population controls, especially in surviving spouses. Suicide survivors had fewer close friends than their controls. Surviving spouses, but not relatives by blood, had a significantly increased risk of having minor mental disorder. (29 refs)