Alcohol misuse could be a treatable risk factor for suicidal behaviour, which is seldom approached in the emergency room.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of alcohol misuse in an interventional follow up program of patients immediately after a suicidal attempt.

Transversal study based on a post hoc analyse of a controlled randomized study done. Epidemiological data and the impact of alcohol misuse were evaluated in relation to suicidal relapse, in compliance for the treatment and in the evolution of Beck’s scores of depression. The study took place in the Rouen University Hospital and lasted for 2 years.

A total of 228 patients, 50 (22.2%) men and 173 (78.8%) women were included. The group with alcohol misuse was composed of 31 (13.9%) patients, and the group without alcohol misuse was composed of 192 (86.9%) patients. The group with alcohol misuse had a lower employment level (n = 16, 51.6%) versus (n = 54, 28.1%) p = 0.009 and was older (mean age 41+/−12 years) than the group without alcohol misuse (mean age 31+/−13 years), p = 0.05. The group with alcohol misuse was composed of 15 (48.4%) of men, compared to 35 (18.2%) of men in the group without alcohol misuse, p = 0.0005. No statistical differences were found for evolution of the depression’s score obtained with the Beck’s scale, nor for the compliance, nor for the suicidal relapse.

Our conclusions are limited by age and sex difference among alcoholic and non alcoholic groups.