Prediction of suicide. A prospective study of suicides and controls among psychiatric patients

In order to find possible factors predicting suicide among psychiatric patients, a prospective study of 2,184 in- and outpatients treated at the Department of Psychiatry, Linköping, Sweden, during 1976 was made. Information was obtained by semi-structured interview covering demographics, diagnosis, symptomatology, life events and received treatment, supplemented by officially registered information about annual income, public assistance, sick-leave and cause of death. During the period of observation (1-2 years), 34 patients had committed suicide. These were matched according to age, sex, diagnosis and in- or outpatient status with controls from the original census. The findings suggest that psychiatric patients who commit suicide, often are drug and alcohol abusers and neurotics with symptoms of depression. They often have made suicide attempts earlier in their lives, are often widowed and have suffered loss of key persons by death. After the initial contact they receive less outpatient treatment than controls. Their method of committing suicide is mainly by intoxication.