Suicide and crisis care: How Crisis Houses influenced recovery
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do women who have used a women-only Crisis House understand their previous suicidal feelings, their recovery, and the role of the Crisis House?
IRAS ID
217169
Contact name
Hannah Prytherch
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 1 days
Research summary
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide (WHO, 2016), with 6,581 recorded in the UK and Ireland in 2014 (Samaritans, 2016). The Department of Health recognises that suicide is complex and that prevention must address this complexity (DOH, 2012). However, currently suicide prevention is predominantly based on an individualistic and medical understanding of suicide (Marsh, 2010). For most people in the UK experiencing acute suicidal crisis, their only options are crisis resolution and home treatment (CR/HT) teams, which often have a strong medical-influence, or in-patient wards; many being detained under the Mental Health Act. Given that a wide range of theories have been proposed to explain the development of suicidal feelings, it is questionable whether this predominantly medical approach is sufficient to meet the needs of those in suicidal crisis.
Crisis Houses although not common, tend to offer more social, relational and psychological interventions. Preliminary findings indicate that alternative crisis services are preferred by service users (Killaspy et al., 2000), who report feeling safer and less coerced (Gilburt et al., 2010). However, there have been calls for more research into alternative models of crisis care (Beaton, 2012) as the research to date has been limited (Paton et al., 2016).
Interviews will be conducted with women who have experienced both hospitalisation and a stay at Drayton Park Crisis House during suicidal crises. Women will be recruited through a weekly group which is open to anyone who has previously received care from the Crisis House. Interviews will explore why women chose the Crisis House and how the care was experienced in comparison to hospitalisation; how it related to their understandings of their suicidal feelings and how it influenced recovery. Transcripts will be analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
References in section A12
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0134
Date of REC Opinion
11 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion