TY - JOUR PY - 2001// TI - The Wessex Suicide Audit 1988-1993: A study of 1457 suicides with and without a recent psychiatric contact JO - International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice A1 - King, E. A. SP - 111 EP - 118 VL - 5 IS - 2 N2 - INTRODUCTION: The inquest files of 1457 suicides from a defined geographical area were inspected to establish their psychiatric patient status at the time.

METHOD: Risk factors significantly more prevalent in recent psychiatric patient (RPP) suicides than in other suicides were determined. (RPPs were psychiatric patients who died before discharge, within a year of discharge from inpatient care, or within a year of last contact with a specialist psychiatric service).

RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the RPP suicides and other suicides in causes of death, drugs used in fatal overdose, clinical characteristics and time since contact with a medical practitioner, particularly with a GP. RPPs were significantly ( P < 0.01) more likely to have: had a family history of mental illness; attempted suicide in the previous 6 months; made a suicide threat in the previous month; died from an overdose of prescribed medication; shown symptoms of depression; and been in contact with a doctor in the preceding week.

CONCLUSION: The similarity of the RPP and other suicides in Wessex to those in both national and international suicide populations suggest that the findings may be generally applicable.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1365-1501 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/136515001300374849 ID - ref1 ER -