Train suicide in the county of Fyn 1979-82

The phenomenon of suicide by train in the county of Fyn is examined for the period 1979-82. The reference population comprised all suicides in the county, minus suicide by train, for the period 1979-82, totalling 505 events. The data is based on the death certificates and the relevant psychiatric journals in the region for the period under study. Sixteen suicides by train took place in the investigation period and these differed significantly from the reference population on the following points: distribution by age: 44% of the suicide by train population belong to the age group 15-29 years, whereas in the reference population only 11% were found in this age group; psychiatric or non-psychiatric patient: in the group of train suicides 81% were classifiable as psychiatric patients (inpatient, outpatient, former inpatient), in the reference population 38% were thus classifiable. Of the 13 "psychiatric" suicides by train, nine (69%) had a psychosis diagnosis. As in other international investigations a correlation was demonstrated between increasing proportion of mentally ill and degree of violence and deliberateness of the suicide act. From the aspect of prophylaxis, suicide by train is more a problem for the psychiatrist than for Danish Rail, just as coverage of these events by the daily press is believed to act as an incentive to this group of potential suicides.