Citation

Shah A. J. Inj. Violence Res. 2012; 4(1): 26-29.

Affiliation

University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom and Consultant Psychiatrist, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. ajit.shah@wlmht.nhs.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences)

DOI

10.5249/jivr.v4i1.66

PMID

21502790

PMCID

PMC3291285

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The relationship between suicide and involuntary admissions has been mainly examined in younger and mixed age groups. These studies provide mixed results with some demonstrating no relationship and others reporting increased rates of suicides in involuntarily admitted patients. However, the association between the utility of the Mental Health Act with general population suicide rates in England and Wales has not been formally studied. METHODS: The relationship between suicide and involuntary admissions has been mainly examined in younger and mixed age groups. These studies provide mixed results with some demonstrating no relationship and others reporting increased rates of suicides in involuntarily admitted patients. However, the association between the utility of the Mental Health Act with general population suicide rates in England and Wales has not been formally studied. RESULTS: There were negative correlations between rates of involuntary admissions and general population suicide rates in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: A causal relationship and the direction of causality cannot be assumed because this was an ecological study. There is a need for sufficiently powered study to compare the number of suicide occurring in involuntarily and voluntarily admitted patients using a case-control or cohort design and survival analysis. If an inverse association can be demonstrated between suicide and involuntary admissions then it has important implications for the development of mental health legislation as an adjunct to national suicide prevention strategies.

Language: en