Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T08:12:12.981Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Suicide in the Mentally Ill

An Epidemiological Sample and Implications for Clinicians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Elizabeth King*
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, RSH Hospital, Southampton S09 4PE

Abstract

Background

Information on risk factors associated with high rates of suicide is necessary, if suicide rates among the mentally ill are to be reduced.

Method

We used ICD-9 E-codes to define deaths on which suicide or open (undetermined death) verdicts were returned, among residents of a catchment area defined by OPCS area codes. Relative risks of suicide and undetermined deaths for recent patients (those in contact with a psychiatric service in the year preceding death) were calculated.

Results

Of the 286 persons, 108 were recent patients. Eighty-four per cent suffered from schizophrenia or depression. Risks of suicide and undetermined death for these patients were 31 and 20 times, respectively, those of other residents. Social risk factors varied with diagnosis.

Conclusion

Over 90% of recent patients were receiving medical care at time of death; not all were treated appropriately. Recognising medical and social risk factors in recent patients, and effective monitoring of treatment, is important.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1994 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barraclough, B., Bunch, J., Nelson, B., et al (1974) A hundred cases of suicide: clinical aspects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 125, 355373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Durkheim, E. (1897) Le Suicide: Etude de Sociologie (transl. Spaulding, J. A. & Simpson, G. (ed)). Paris: Felix Alcan. (1952) Suicide: A Study in Sociology. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.Google Scholar
Flood, R. A. & Seager, C. P. (1968) A retrospective examination of psychiatric case records of patients who subsequently committed suicide. British Journal of Psychiatry, 114, 443450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldacre, M., Seagroatt, V. & Hawton, K. (1993) Suicide after discharge from psychiatric inpatient care. Lancet, 342, 283286.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Her Majesty's Stationery Office (1992) The Health of the Nation: A Strategy for Health in England (Cm 1986). London: HMSO.Google Scholar
James, P. I. & Levin, S. (1964) Suicide following discharge from psychiatric hospital. Archives of General Psychiatry, 10, 6770.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jennings, C. (1981) Statistics from the Southampton Psychiatric Case Register, 1974–1980. Southampton Psychiatric Case Register. Google Scholar
King, E. (1990) A study of violent death and mental illness in a catchment area population. PhD Thesis, Southampton University.Google Scholar
King, E. & Barraclough, B. (1990) Violent death and mental illness: a study of a single catchment area over eight years. British Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 714720.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kraft, D. P. & Babigian, H. M. (1976) Suicide by persons with and without psychiatric contacts. Archives of General Psychiatry, 33, 209215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Myers, D. H. & Neal, C. D. (1978) Suicide in psychiatric patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 3844.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (1974) Area Code for Recording Place of Residence and Place of Birth. London: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.Google Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (1981) Census 1981 Small Area Statistics. London: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.Google Scholar
Robins, E., Gassner, S., Kayes, J., et al (1959) The communication of suicidal intent: a study of 134 consecutive cases of successful (completed) suicide. American Journal of Psychiatry, 115, 724733.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rorsman, B., Hagnell, O. & Lanke, J. (1982) Violent death and mental disorders in the Lundby study: accidents and suicides in a total population during a 25-year period. Neuropsychobiology, 3, 233240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roy, A. (1982) Risk factors for suicide in psychiatric patients. Archives of General Psychiatry, 39, 10891095.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roy, A. (1983) Suicides in depressives. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 24, 487.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sainsbury, P. (1955) Suicide in London, an Ecological Study, Maudsley Monograph No. 1. London: Chapman and Hall.Google Scholar
Schwartz, D. A., Flinn, D. E. & Slawson, P. F. (1975) Suicide in the psychiatric hospital. American Journal of Psychiatry, 132, 150153.Google ScholarPubMed
Seager, C. P. & Flood, R. A. (1965) Suicide in Bristol. British Journal of Psychiatry, 111, 919932.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
World Health Organization (1977) The Ninth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-9). Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Yarden, P. E. (1974) Observations on suicide in chronic schizophrenics. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 15, 325333.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.