Abstract

Introduction
Pathologists through autopsies improve suicide data accuracy. Studies show that autopsy is less likely in suspected suicide than in other unnatural deaths. This work assessed Nigerian pathologists’ perception and attitude to their role in suicide management.
Methods
In this prospective, cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was used to collect data from pathologists (consultants and residents) practising in our country.
Results
Fifty-three pathologists (20%) returned completed questionnaire; most were males (73.6%), aged from 31 – 40 year (35.8%), Christians (84.9%), of Yoruba ethnicity (35.8%) and practise in our country’s South West (39.6%). Eleven (20.8%) respondents had history of declining autopsy requests; 9 (81.8%) each identified sociocultural characteristics of society and survivors or decedents and an “obvious” cause/manner of death as reasons for declining autopsy request while 4 (36.4%) identified poor remuneration. Also, Pathologist’s demographic characteristics significantly affect their choice to perform or decline autopsy. Concerning degree of influence of identified factors, 7 (63.6%) respondents rated social circumstances around a suicide event as very strong while 4 (36.4%) rated “obvious” cause/manner of death as very weak. Twenty (37.7%) and 13 (24.5%) respondents believe that suicide diagnosis should be communicated to survivors by pathologists and police respectively. Respondents’s rank (p-value = .024) significantly affect opinion of who should communicate autopsy diagnosis while lenght of practise does not (p-value = .872).
Conclusion
Overall, Nigerian pathologists’ attitude to their role in suicide management is not favorable. Their performance of this role is negatively affected by social factors surrounding a suicide event.

Key words: Suicide data accuracy, pathologist’s role, suicide autopsy, communicating suicide diagnosis, suicide survivors