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Published on: January 8, 2020
Suicides among military conscripts between 1991-2007 in Finland--a descriptive replication study
Tanja Laukkala1, Timo Partonen, Mauri Marttunen
1Tanja Laukkala, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Psychiatrist, Field Medicine Services Unit, Centre for Military Medicine, Finnish Defence Forces , PO Box 50 FI-00301 Helsinki , Finland.
Background:
Suicide mortality in Finland particularly among young people remains high, compared with other European countries. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among military conscripts in Finland.
Aims:
In this record-based study, we investigated characteristics of all 48 suicides among Finnish conscripts during the period 1991-2007.
Methods:
We collected and analyzed healthcare records during military service and medicolegal investigations (medicolegal autopsy) of suicide victims.
Results:
Of the 48 suicides, 36 (75%) were completed during leave days. Shooting, hanging and jumping were the most common methods used; a service gun was used in four (14%) of the 29 shooting cases. One-third of the victims had been in contact with military healthcare during the week preceding their suicide, and two-thirds during the preceding month.
Conclusions:
When conscripts use healthcare services, suicidal thoughts should be actively asked of those conscripts with history of any risk factors for suicidal behavior.
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