[Suicides in the Russian Federation as a sociopsychiatric problem]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The period 1989-1993 in Russia was marked by significant social and economic changes.
• Suicide is a major public health concern with complex contributing factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze suicide trends in Russia between 1989 and 1993.
• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of suicides among the mentally ill population.
• To examine regional variations in suicide rates.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of national suicide statistics for the period 1989-1993.
• Examination of 1738 suicide cases among mentally ill patients in outpatient clinics.
• Comparison of suicide rates between the general population and mentally ill individuals.

Main Results:

• Identified unfavorable trends: increased suicide prevalence and a younger age of victims.
• Suicide rate among mentally ill patients (78.2 per 100,000) was more than double that of the general population (37.9 per 100,000).
• Schizophrenia was the predominant diagnosis among mentally ill suicide victims (55.6%), primarily aged 30-59 years.

Conclusions:

• Suicide rates in Russia showed an unfavorable increase during 1989-1993, particularly affecting younger demographics.
• Mentally ill individuals, especially those with schizophrenia, represent a high-risk group for suicide.
• The age-sex structure of suicides among the mentally ill was more stable than in the general population, influenced by registration changes.