Research into Male Suicide
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008Researchers at the University of Ulster are urging young men in north and west Belfast who have considered suicide to speak to them in a bid to help others in this situation.
They hope to speak confidentially to men aged between 16 and 34 who have thought seriously about or acted with the intention of suicide, in order to develop care and support programmes for those at risk.
During the interview the men will be asked to talk about issues in their lives that have influenced their thoughts about suicide and the types of help and support that they have used when feeling suicidal.
Around 50 of the 242 people registered in 2007 in Northern Ireland as taking their own lives were men in this age group according to statistics released this month by NISRA.
The research is being conducted in association with QUB.
Heading the Ulster researchers on the project is Professor Hugh McKenna (pictured), Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, who said: “Talking directly to young men about their experiences means that we will be able to hear about ways of developing care and support that make sense to them. We want to hear from young men who have sought help from services as well as those who have not. It’s important that we learn from their experiences so that the recommendations we develop for policy and practice are realistic and relevant.”
Dr Joanne Jordan, from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at QUB, is leading the study, which is entitled Providing Meaningful Care: Learning from the Experiences of Suicidal Men.
Those who take part will be able to access counselling free of charge with a counsellor accredited by the British and Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and will receive information about support services in their area.
Dr Jordan said: “The rise in suicide in Northern Ireland over the recent past is now a matter of record. In large part this increase has been prompted by a rise in male suicide, particularly among young men. Although the latest statistics suggest that suicide among this group may be beginning to level off from the previous few years, this does not mean that we can afford to be complacent.
“Suicide continues to claim far too many young men’s lives, making it imperative that we learn about the circumstances in which they are led to consider it.”
The Ulster researchers on the project are: Professor Hugh McKenna, Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Dr Sinead Keeney, Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Nursing Research, and Mr Iain McGowan, Lecturer in the School of Nursing.
Over the next few months the research will be extended to include the Banbridge and Craigavon areas
Any young men living in the north and west Belfast area who are interested in taking part in the study should contact Iain McGowan on 07894 646690 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 07894 646690 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email menssuicidestudy@ulster.ac.uk for more information.
For further information, please contact:
Press Office, Department of Communication and Development
Tel: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk
Tags: mental health, research, suicide
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