BACKGROUND
Although suicide bereavement is highly distressing and is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviors and mental and physical health impairments, those bereaved by suicide encounter difficulties accessing support. Online resources offer new forms of support for bereaved people. However, online resources dedicated to those bereaved by suicide are still limited.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to develop and implement an evidence-based, innovative and adaptive online resource for people bereaved by suicide, based on their needs and expectations.
METHODS
We performed a mixed-method participatory usercentered study seeking to build resources from the perspectives of people bereaved by suicide and professionals or volunteers working in the field of postvention. We used the Information System Research (ISR) framework, which employs a 3-stage research cycle, including (1) the relevance cycle, (2) the design cycle and (3) the rigor cycle.
RESULTS
A total of 478 people participated in the study, including 451 people bereaved by suicide, 8 members of charities and 19 mental health professionals working in the field of postvention. The development stage of the resource lasted 18 months, from October 2021 to March 2023. A total of 9 focus groups, 1 online surveys, 30 usability tests and 30 semistructured interviews were performed. A website for people bereaved by suicide named ‘ESPOIR’ was developed that includes the following features: a) evidence-based information on suicide prevention and bereavement, b) testimonies of people bereaved by suicide, c) a delayed chat to ask questions on suicide and bereavement to a specialized team of mental health professionals, and d) an interactive nationwide resource directory. The mean system usability score was 90.3/100 for 30 participants, with 94.0% of them having a rating above 80. Since the implementation of ESPOIR in March 2023, 11,549 connections were recorded, 91 local resources have been registered nationwide, and 26 questions have been posted in the chat.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of a mixed-method participatory user-centered design allowed us to implement an evidence-based, innovative and functional website for people bereaved by suicide that was highly relevant for fulfilling the needs and expectations of French people bereaved by suicide.