%0 Journal Article
%T Completed suicide among psychiatric in-patients with depression in an Australian mental hospital
%J International journal of methods in psychiatric research
%D 2000
%A Shah, A.
%A Ganesvaran, T.
%V 9
%N 1
%P 25-31
%X Up to 45% of completed psychiatric in-patient suicides have a diagnosis of depression. Twenty-two completed psychiatric in-patient suicides with depression, over a 21-year period, in a large psychiatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia, were examined. The characteristics, including demographic and clinical data, for the completed suicides with depression were compared with a comparison group of 'alive' in-patients with depression. Completed suicide among psychiatric in-patients with depression was associated with male sex, suicidal thoughts during admission, and fluctuating suicidal ideation or continuous absence of suicidal ideation. Over 40% of completed suicides occurred whilst on approved leave and over 20% after absconding from the hospital. Violent methods (including jumping in front of trains, trams and road traffic, jumping of buildings, hanging and drowning) were used in over 65% of completed suicides. Psychiatric units should be developed away from readily available methods of suicide. In-patients with suicidal thoughts during the admission and unstable suicidal ideation should be carefully observed to avoid absconding and suicide, and should be carefully assessed prior to granting of leave.<p /><p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I John Wiley and Sons
%@ 1049-8931
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mpr.77