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Serious suicide attempts in affective patients
1Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Patients with affective disorders who attempt suicide are older, more often female, and use less violent methods. Early intervention during depressive episodes is crucial for preventing suicide attempts.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Epidemiology of Mental Health
Background:
- Suicide attempts represent a significant public health concern, necessitating a deeper understanding of patient demographics and clinical characteristics.
- Differentiating between affective and non-affective suicide attempters is crucial for targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the clinical and demographic profiles of suicide attempters diagnosed with affective disorder versus those without.
- To identify specific characteristics associated with affective disorder in patients who attempt suicide.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 257 patients admitted for medical or surgical reasons following suicide attempts over a 6-year period.
- Patients were categorized into two groups: those with affective disorder (n=96) based on DSM-IIIR criteria and non-affective attempters (n=161).
- Comparison of demographic data, method of attempt, attempt severity, and co-occurring physical illnesses between the two groups.
Main Results:
- Affective disorder patients were significantly older, predominantly female, and more likely to be married or widowed.
- Non-violent methods were more common among affective disorder patients, who also presented with more serious attempts and higher rates of physical illness.
- History of previous attempts in affective patients correlated with recurrent unipolar depression or first-episode unipolar depression with personality disorder.
Conclusions:
- Affective disorder is associated with distinct demographic and clinical features in suicide attempters, including age, gender, marital status, and method used.
- The timing of suicide attempts in relation to depressive episodes is significant; attempts within 12 months of depression onset were linked to non-violent methods and recurrent mood disorders.
- These findings underscore the importance of early identification and management of affective disorders, particularly during the initial phases of depressive episodes, to mitigate suicide risk.