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Suicide in Brisbane--a retrospective psychosocial study
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|March 1, 1980
Summary
This study analyzed 135 suicides in Brisbane, finding depressive illness, physical illness, and drug dependency as key factors. Early recognition and treatment of these conditions are crucial for suicide prevention.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Suicide remains a significant public health concern globally.
- Understanding the contributing factors to suicide is essential for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical and social characteristics of suicides in Brisbane over a one-year period.
- To identify key contributing factors to suicide in the studied population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a consecutive series of 135 suicides occurring in Brisbane between March 1973 and February 1974.
- Description of clinical and social characteristics of individuals who died by suicide.
Main Results:
- The suicide rate was 16 per 100,000.
- Major contributing factors included depressive illness (55%), physical illness (52%), and drug dependency (34%).
- Social isolation or loss was also identified as a contributing risk factor.
Conclusions:
- The study underscores the critical importance of recognizing and treating depressive illness to prevent suicide.
- Physical illness, particularly affecting the nervous system or gastrointestinal tract, and alcohol/barbiturate dependency are significant contributors to suicide risk.