[The suicidal patient. 2. Methods of suicide, diagnoses and social conditions]

By means of a multipractice investigation in which 347 general practitioners participated, 293 schemata were collected about patients who had undertaken suicidal acts. The material consists of 66 suicides and 227 attempted suicides. By and large, the sex and age distributions correspond to those in previous investigations. The number of attempted suicides in this investigation was only half of that anticipated. This may be due to lapse, seasonal variations, underrepresentation of urban practice etc. Strikingly many patients undertook acts in this material without having psychiatric diagnoses and the psychiatric diagnosis did not appear to play any part as regards whether the suicidal act lead to suicide. The methods employed appear otherwise to reflect development in society and pharmacotherapy. Where men were concerned, it appears that suicide is relatively most common among widowers, unemployed and early retirees while, where women were concerned, divorcees and early retirees were most frequently involved. Attempted suicide is most frequently carried out by unemployed men and by divorced and early retirees of both sexes. This investigation cannot indicate any definite occupational group which involves a risk as regards suicidal acts and economical factors appear only to play a part where attempted suicide is concerned.