TY - JOUR
T1 - An investigation into the role of alcohol in self-harm in rural Sri Lanka
T2 - a protocol for a multimethod, qualitative study
AU - Sørensen, Jane Brandt
AU - Rheinländer, Thilde
AU - Sørensen, Birgitte Refslund
AU - Pearson, Melissa
AU - Agampodi, Thilini
AU - Siribaddana, Sisira
AU - Konradsen, Flemming
N1 - Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
PY - 2014/10/7
Y1 - 2014/10/7
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Sri Lanka has one of the highest suicide and self-harm rates in the world and although alcohol has been found to be a risk factor for self-harm in Sri Lanka, we know little about the connection between the two. This paper comprises a protocol for a qualitative study investigating alcohol's role in self-harm in rural Sri Lanka at three levels: the individual, community and policy level. The analysis will bring new understanding of the link between alcohol and self-harm in Sri Lanka, drawing on structural, cultural and social concepts. It will equip researchers, health systems and policy makers with vital information for developing strategies to address alcohol-related problems as they relate to self-harm.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: To capture the complexity of the link between alcohol and self-harm in the Anuradhapura district in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka, qualitative methods will be utilised. Specifically, the data will consist of serial narrative life-story interviews with up to 20 individuals who have non-fatally self-harmed and where alcohol directly or indirectly was involved in the incidence as well as with their significant others; observations in communities and families; six focus group discussions with community members; and key-informant interviews with 15-25 stakeholders who have a stake in alcohol distribution, marketing, policies, prevention and treatment as they relate to self-harm.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received ethical approval from the Ethical Review Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. A sensitive data collection technique will be used and ethical issues will be considered throughout the study.RESULTS: The results will be disseminated in scientific peer-reviewed articles in collaboration with Sri Lankan and other international research partners.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Sri Lanka has one of the highest suicide and self-harm rates in the world and although alcohol has been found to be a risk factor for self-harm in Sri Lanka, we know little about the connection between the two. This paper comprises a protocol for a qualitative study investigating alcohol's role in self-harm in rural Sri Lanka at three levels: the individual, community and policy level. The analysis will bring new understanding of the link between alcohol and self-harm in Sri Lanka, drawing on structural, cultural and social concepts. It will equip researchers, health systems and policy makers with vital information for developing strategies to address alcohol-related problems as they relate to self-harm.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: To capture the complexity of the link between alcohol and self-harm in the Anuradhapura district in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka, qualitative methods will be utilised. Specifically, the data will consist of serial narrative life-story interviews with up to 20 individuals who have non-fatally self-harmed and where alcohol directly or indirectly was involved in the incidence as well as with their significant others; observations in communities and families; six focus group discussions with community members; and key-informant interviews with 15-25 stakeholders who have a stake in alcohol distribution, marketing, policies, prevention and treatment as they relate to self-harm.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received ethical approval from the Ethical Review Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. A sensitive data collection technique will be used and ethical issues will be considered throughout the study.RESULTS: The results will be disseminated in scientific peer-reviewed articles in collaboration with Sri Lankan and other international research partners.
KW - Alcohol Drinking
KW - Humans
KW - Qualitative Research
KW - Risk Factors
KW - Rural Population
KW - Self-Injurious Behavior
KW - Sri Lanka
KW - Suicide
KW - Journal Article
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005860
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005860
M3 - Article
C2 - 25293385
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 4
SP - e005860
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 10
ER -