Challenges and Reactions of Families of Women Survived Self-Immolation: A Qualitative Study in Western Iran

Objective: Families are a key source of support for women recovering from self-immolation, a common form of suicide in many parts of the world. Yet, we know little about the challenges these families face. The present study explores the challenges and reactions of the families of women saved from self-immolation in western. Method: This qualitative research used a phenomenological approach with the families of women who survived self-immolation in western Iran. Saturation was achieved with semi-structured interviews with 31 participants who were selected through purposive sampling and snowball sampling. The Colaizzi approach was used to analyze the data, and Guba and Lincoln's four criteria were used to improve the quality of the results. Results: Two categories, 11 subcategories, and 163 primary codes were obtained from the data analysis. (a) Challenges include the cost of treatment, a lack of appropriate health and treatment centers, family stigma, fear, and worry, challenges in justifying the victim's continued treatment and counseling, unpleasant feelings, the spread of family tensions, and a lack of support. (b) Reactions include rejection of the victim, compensation for the past, tolerance of the victim, and changes in family life conditions. Conclusion: The families of women survivors of self-immolation face various challenges. It is possible to reduce their problems to some extent and improve their health through environmental, financial, social, and educational support.