Exploring suicidality and mental health support pathways following bereavement in rural contexts in the UK

About the Project

Applications are invited for a full-time PhD studentship for the project: Exploring suicidality and mental health support pathways following bereavement in rural England.

Context

Bereavement is the experience of losing a loved one and typically refers to the period immediately following death (Matthys et al. 2022). A decline in mental health is commonly reported among people experiencing bereavement, and bereavement is a key risk factor for suicide (Li et al., 2003). Suicidality is likely to be heightened following a bereavement due to associated perceived stigma, resulting in social withdrawal and a concomitant decrease in social interaction (Pitman et al., 2017). Stigma also acts as a barrier to help-seeking behaviours (Carpiniello and Pinna, 2017).

People living in rural areas have an elevated risk of suicide (Prazak et al., 2024). Factors such as self-reliance and social isolation intersect with structural inequalities, creating a disadvantage to the access of bereavement and mental health or suicide prevention support services (Hansford et al., 2023). An urgent need therefore exists to explore the lived experience of rural bereavement, with a focus on the barriers and facilitators to suicide prevention and bereavement services. This understanding is necessary for the development of strategies focused upon supporting people experiencing bereavement to access appropriate services and reduce suicide risk.

Aims and Objectives

This PhD research aims to explore suicidality and mental health support for people experiencing bereavement in rural communities. In alignment with the THRIVE People and Community Involvement and Engagement (PCIE) Strategy the successful applicant will work with local stakeholders and people with lived experience to co-produce a programme of research to meet the following objectives:

• Conduct a scoping literature review to assess the evidence base on bereavement and suicidality in the UK and understand the barriers to access for people living in rural areas
• Use existing data/evidence and undertake stakeholder consultation to ‘map’ the help-seeking journey for people who are bereaved, and the provision of mental health, suicide prevention, and bereavement care and support services in rural Worcestershire and Herefordshire
• Undertake qualitative research to explore the lived experience of bereavement and related suicidality in rural Worcestershire and Herefordshire, and the facilitators and barriers to accessing mental health care and support services.
• Develop recommendations for policy and practice based on an analysis of their data.

Research Questions

1. What does existing evidence reveal about the relationship between bereavement and suicidality, particularly in rural contexts, and what barriers to accessing support are identified?
2. How do people bereaved in rural Worcestershire and Herefordshire navigate their help-seeking journeys, and how is bereavement, mental health, suicide prevention, and support provision configured within these areas?
3. How is bereavement experienced in rural Worcestershire and Herefordshire, and in what ways does it intersect with suicidality and access to care and support services?
4. What implications do these findings have for policy, service development, and practice to better support bereaved individuals and reduce suicide risk in rural communities?

Supervisory team:

• Director of Studies: Dr Christopher Poyner, Senior Research Fellow, THRIVE Programme, Rural Mental Health Research Unit, University of Worcester.
• Supervisors: Dr Molly Miley, Research Fellow, THRIVE Programme, Rural Mental Health Unit, University of Worcester. Dr Maria Michail, Associate Professor, Deputy Director of the Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham.

Details of the studentship:

The studentship is offered for a 4-year period on a full-time basis. During the period of your studentship you will receive the following:

• a tax-free bursary of £20,407 for 3 years
• a fee-waiver for 4 years
• a budget to support your project costs
• a laptop and other IT equipment or software as appropriate to the project
• use of the Doctoral School facilities

You will be expected to play an active role in the life of both the Doctoral School and of the School. You will be given opportunities to gain experience in learning and teaching within the School under the guidance of your Director of Studies.

Application Process:

The closing date for this studentship is Friday 8th May 2026.

To begin the application process for this studentship please go to our webpage and click ‘apply now’ next to the project you wish to apply for. It is expected that applicants will have the following qualifications:

• A Masters in the area of Health Care or equivalent professional experience.
• A First or Upper Second Honours Degree