@article{ref1,
title="Risk factors for suicide in the immediate post-discharge period",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2007",
author="Kan, Chui-Kwan and Ho, T. P. and Dong, Jimmy Y. S. and Dunn, Eva L. W.",
volume="42",
number="3",
pages="208-214",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Suicide risk is highest in the first few months following psychiatric in-patient care. Most data on post-discharge suicides have come from Western countries. Many studies collected cases of suicide over a long post-discharge period and did not focus on this high-risk period. This study aims to describe the characteristics and examine the risk factors of suicides occurring in the immediate post-discharge period in Hong Kong. METHODS: A case-control study based on discharged patients from all psychiatric hospitals/units in Hong Kong in 1997-1999. Suicides occurring within 60 days of discharge from psychiatric hospitals (N = 97) were ascertained by record linkage with Coroner's court data. Controls were matched for age, gender, diagnoses, discharge hospitals, and dates of discharge. Possible risk factors were extracted from in- and out-patient records, and were identified by conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: The commonest diagnosis and suicide method were schizophrenia and falling from a height, respectively. There were no significant case-control differences in the drug treatment received. Risk factors for suicides were: previous deliberate self-harm (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.07-5.05), admission for deliberate self-harm (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.3-7.8), compulsory admission (OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.1-8.7), living alone (OR = 5.8, 95% CI = 1.4-23), work stresses (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 1.5-18) and being out of contact (OR = 7.9, 95% CI = 1.87-33). The overall number of risk factors had greater screening efficacy for suicide than any single factor. CONCLUSIONS: Vulnerable (previous suicidality) and uncooperative (compulsory admission and out of contact) patients who live alone and are exposed to work stresses are prone to immediate post-discharge suicide. Thorough treatment of the circumstances leading to the index admissions, management of work stresses, improved engagement in follow-up care and systematic assessment of suicide risk are indicated.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-006-0153-0",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0153-0"
}