TY - JOUR PY - 2022// TI - Bringing Lived Lives to Swift's Asylum: A psychiatric hospital perspective JO - Wellcome open research A1 - Malone, K.M. A1 - Cleary, E. A1 - Kelleher, C.C. A1 - Jefferies, J. A1 - Lane, A. A1 - Lucey, J.V. A1 - McGuiness, S. SP - EP - VL - 6 IS - N2 - BACKGROUND: Few 'interventions' around suicide and stigma have reached into psychiatric institutions. Lived Lives is a science-arts approach to addressing suicide and stigma, informed by a psychobiographical and visual arts autopsy. The resulting artworks and mediated exhibition ( Lived Lives), has facilitated dialogue, response and public action around stigma-reduction, consistent with a community intervention. Recent evidence from Lived Lives moved us to consider how it may situate within a psychiatric hospital.

METHODS: Lived Lives manifested in St. Patrick's University Hospital (Ireland's oldest and largest psychiatric hospital) in November 2017. A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the exhibition as a potential intervention to address stigma around suicide, with quantitative and qualitative data collected via written questionnaire and oral data collected via video documentation. Bereavement support was available. A Clinician and an artist also provided independent evaluation.

RESULTS: 86 participants engaged with the exhibition, with 68 completing questionnaire data. Audiences included service users, policy makers, health professionals, senior hospital administrators and members of the public. 62% of participants who completed questionnaires were suicide-bereaved; 46% had experienced a mental health difficulty, and 35% had been suicidal in the past. 91% thought Lived Lives could be of benefit in the aftermath of a suicide death. Half of participants thought Lived Lives could help reduce suicidal feelings, whereas 88% thought it could benefit those with Mental Health difficulties. The emotional response was of a visceral nature, including fear, anger, sadness, disgust and anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS: Lived Lives sits comfortably in discomfort, unafraid to call out the home-truths about stigma and its pervasive and pernicious impact, and with restoring identity at its core. Lived Lives can operate within a psychiatric hospital, as well as in community. The challenge is to move it forward for greater exposure and impacts in at-risk communities. © 2022 Malone KM et al.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 2398-502X UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15588.3 ID - ref1 ER -