Suicide among hospital-treated alcoholics in Scotland, 1974-83

Two cohorts of suicide (and undetermined deaths) in Scotland for the quinquennia 1974-78, 1979-83 were investigated. A national record linkage exercise was carried out relating the deaths to admissions for alcoholism in the preceding 5 years (minimum) to 10 years (maximum). No differences were found between the cohorts in socio-demographic or clinical characteristics at the time of initial admission. The survival time as measured from either first admission or from last discharge to death was appreciably longer in the second quinquennium. This improvement might reflect changes in the patterns of services provided for alcoholics, especially the increased emphasis on the extra-mural care.