Table 1.
Characteristics of participants by high versus low perceived stigma scores.
| GEQ Stigma Sub-Scale Score | Low Perceived Stigma Score a (n = 1764) | High Perceived Stigma Score a (n = 1623) | Total (n = 3387) | p-Value b |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socio-demographic characteristics | ||||
| Gender † | ||||
| Female n (%) | 1388 (79) | 1360 (84) | 2748 (81) | <0.001 |
| missing n (%) | 0 (0) | 1 (<1) | 1 (<1) | |
| Age of participant † | ||||
| mean (SD) | 25.0 (6.2) | 25.1 (6.4) | 25.0 (6.3) | 1.000 |
| Self-defined ethnicity | ||||
| white n (%) | 1598 (91) | 1449 (89) | 3047 (90) | 0.224 |
| non-white n (%) | 165 (9) | 172 (11) | 337 (10) | |
| missing n (%) | 1 (<1) | 2 (<1) | 3 (<1) | |
| Socio-economic status c † | ||||
| social classes 1.1 and 1.2 n (%) | 551 (31) | 440 (27) | 991 (29) | <0.001 |
| social class 2 n (%) | 586 (33) | 526 (32) | 1112 (33) | |
| social class 3 n (%) | 209 (12) | 185 (11) | 394 (12) | |
| social class 4 n (%) | 91 (5) | 63 (4) | 154 (5) | |
| social classes 5–7 and 9 n (%) | 273 (16) | 359 (22) | 632 (19) | |
| missing n (%) | 54 (3) | 50 (3) | 104 (3) | |
| Educational status | ||||
| attained up to A level equivalent leaving qualification n (%) | 734 (42) | 750 (46) | 1484 (44) | 0.008 |
| attained undergraduate degree or above n (%) | 1025 (58) | 871 (54) | 1896 (56) | |
| missing n (%) | 5 (<1) | 2 (<1) | 7 (<1) | |
| Student status | ||||
| student n (%) | 1472 (83) | 1428 (88) | 2900 (86) | 0.001 |
| staff n (%) | 238 (13) | 156 (10) | 394 (12) | |
| both n (%) | 54 (3) | 38 (2) | 92 (3) | |
| missing n (%) | 1 (0) | 1 (<1) | 1 (<1) | |
| Characteristics of index bereavement | ||||
| Mode of death | ||||
| sudden natural causes n (%) | 1184 (67) | 892 (55) | 2076 (61) | <0.001 |
| sudden unnatural causes n (%) | 368 (21) | 336 (21) | 704 (21) | |
| suicide n (%) | 212 (12) | 395 (24) | 607 (18) | |
| missing n (%) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
| Kinship to the deceased † | ||||
| blood relative n (%) | 1224 (69) | 1176 (73) | 2400 (71) | 0.050 |
| unrelated n (%) | 533 (30) | 441 (27) | 974 (29) | |
| missing n (%) | 7 (<1) | 6 (<1) | 13 (<1) | |
| Age of the deceased | ||||
| median (IQR) | 50 (23–70) | 45 (22–58) | 47 (23–64) | <0.001 |
| Gender of the deceased | ||||
| Female n (%) | 666 (38) | 583 (36) | 1249 (37) | 0.216 |
| missing n (%) | 54 (3) | 41 (3) | 95 (3) | |
| Time since bereavement † | ||||
| mean (SD) | 4.6 (5) | 5.4 (6) | 5 (5.3) | 1.000 |
| Clinical characteristics | ||||
| Family history of suicide (excluding index suicide bereavement) † | ||||
| Yes n (%) | 109 (6) | 104 (6) | 213 (6) | 0.829 |
| missing n (%) | 128 (7) | 106 (7) | 234 (7) | |
| Family history of psychiatric problems | ||||
| Yes n (%) | 1008 (57) | 1059 (65) | 2067 (61) | <0.001 |
| missing n (%) | 124 (7) | 102 (6) | 226 (7) | |
| Personality disorder screen positive d | ||||
| Yes n (%) | 464 (26) | 712 (44) | 1176 (35) | <0.001 |
| missing n (%) | 105 (6) | 84 (5) | 189 (6) | |
| Pre-loss depression † | ||||
| Yes n (%) | 280 (16) | 353 (22) | 633 (19) | <0.001 |
| missing n (%) | 74 (4) | 54 (3) | 128 (4) | |
| Pre-loss non-suicidal self-harm and suicide attempt † | ||||
| Yes n (%) | 325 (18) | 380 (23) | 705 (21) | <0.001 |
| missing n (%) | 127 (7) | 104 (6) | 231 (7) | |
| Help sought after suicide attempt post-bereavement | ||||
| Yes n (%) | 15 (1) | 54 (3) | 69 (2) | <0.001 |
| No n (%) | 36 (2) | 101 (6) | 137 (4) | |
| No suicide attempt post-bereavement n (%) | 1713 (97) | 1468 (91) | 3181 (94) | |
SD = standard deviation; IQR = inter-quartile range; a using Grief Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) stigma sub-scale score dichotomised at mean into low (5 to 12) and high (12.5 to 25). † pre-specified covariate entered into adjusted models. b significance threshold of p = 0.05; not adjusted for multiple testing. c socio-economic status using the five categories from UK Office for National Statistics. d SAPAS-SR screen for personality disorder [37].