Buus, N.

Background: An increasing number of qualitative research articles have reported on relatives' experiences of providing care for individuals displaying suicidal behaviour. To contribute more fully to theory and practice, these reported experiences must be synthesized. Objectives: To identify original qualitative studies of relatives' experiences of providing care for individuals with non-fatal suicidal behaviour and to systematically review and synthesize this research using a meta-ethnographic approach.

In ethnic minority groups, family members often play an absolutely central role in providing care for their mentally ill relatives. The aim of the study was to explore how the relatives of mentally ill Iraqi refugees experience their role as informal caregivers. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with seven relatives of Iraqi mental health outpatients. The study indicated that Iraqi relatives felt severely burdened in their everyday life.