Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences
Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences

Socio-Psychological Causes and Psychopathology of Suicide in Bam City: The Findings from a Qualitative Content Analysis of Survivors' Perspectives

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Maryam Hesamarefi 1
Mohamadtaghi Jahanpour 1
Kazem Najafi 2
Narges Khorshidi 3
Farzaneh Alidadi 1
Elham Amini 3

1 Pastor Educational Hospital, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran

2 Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran

3 Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran

10.22062/jqrhs.2026.202242.1729
Abstract
Background: Suicide is one of the major public health challenges and a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that results in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year. This study aimed to qualitatively identify and categorize the psychopathology and socio-psychological causes of suicide attempts in Bam City.
Methods: This qualitative research employed a conventional content analysis approach based on the Graneheim and Lundman method. Participants included 28 survivors of suicide attempts who were identified in the Emergency Department or Wards of Pasteur Hospital in Bam and selected after returning to a stable condition. The study was conducted in 2025–2026. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and analysis was performed using MAXQDA 2020 software. To ensure the validity of the findings, Lincoln and Guba's criteria were applied.
Findings: Most participants were female in the adolescent and young adult age groups. The main categories extracted from the data included emotional/romantic failures, family and parental pressures, economic/financial problems, arguments with spouses or romantic partners, and depression/feeling purposeless. Additionally, loss of loved ones, academic or occupational failures, and momentary nervous tension were identified as recurrent sub-categories. The predominant method of suicide attempt in this population was ingestion of pills and methadone.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that suicide attempts in Bam primarily occur among young people, especially women, with backgrounds involving family-emotional issues and economic pressures. The qualitative analysis further reveals that weak family and social support serve as exacerbating factors in the development of this phenomenon. These results emphasize the need for community-based interventions, family education, development of counseling centers, and control of access to hazardous substances and medications.

Keywords

Socio-Psychological
Suicide
Qualitative Content Analysis
Survivors' Perspectives
Suicide Attempts
Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 October 2026

  • Receive Date 25 December 2025
  • Revise Date 19 September 2026
  • Accept Date 25 October 2026

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