Suicide in Brisbane--a retrospective psychosocial study

A consecutive series of 135 suicides is described, this being the total which occurred during one year in Brisbane from 1 March 1973 to 28 February 1974, resulting in a rate of 16 per 100,000. The clinical and social characteristics of the suicides are described. Important contributing factors were depressive illness (55%), physical illness (52%), and drug dependency (34%). About half of the suicides were taking prescribed medication and about a third had been in contact with a doctor shortly before death. Social isolation or loss appeared to contribute to the suicide risk. The study confirms the importance of the recognition and treatment of depressive illness in attempting to prevent suicide and draws attention to the significant contribution of physical illness, especially when affecting the nervous system or gastrointestinal tract, and the importance of the role of alcohol and/or barbiturate dependency.