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Assessment of Suicide Risk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

K. Hawton
K. Hawton*
Affiliation:
Warneford Hospital and University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX
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Extract

Among the many clinical skills that psychiatrists must acquire, the ability to assess the risk of patients killing themselves is probably the most important and demanding. It is often a crucial factor when making clinical decisions, such as in the choice of treatments, when deciding whether admission to a psychiatric hospital is necessary and when implementing the Mental Health Act. This review first explores the problems in assessing suicide risk. Subsequently, the risks of suicide for patients with major psychiatric disorders and for particular clinical populations, including hospitalised patients and suicide attempters, are examined together with the findings from research investigations which can assist psychiatrists when making decisions about the risk of suicide.

Type
Lecture
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 150 , Issue 2 , February 1987 , pp. 145 - 153
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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