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Risk factors for suicide in patients with schizophrenia: Nested case–control study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Charlotte Dahl Rossau  and
Preben Bo Mortensen
Charlotte Dahl Rossau*
Affiliation:
Institute for Basic Psychiatric Research, Aarhus, Denmark
Preben Bo Mortensen
Affiliation:
Institute for Basic Psychiatric Research, Aarhus, Denmark
*
Dr Rossau, Institute for Basic Psychiatric Research, Department of Psychiatric Demography, Psychiatric Hospital in Aarhus, University of Aarhus, Denmark
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Abstract

Background

Of 9156 patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Denmark between 1970 and 1987 and diagnosed for the first time as having schizophrenia, 508 committed suicide. The purpose of the study was to identify risk factors for suicide among patients with schizophrenia, particularly factors relating to hospitalisation.

Method

From the cohort of all 9156 patients, the 508 who had committed suicide were individually matched to 10 controls from the same cohort, and data were analysed using conditional logistic regression.

Results

Suicide risk was particularly high during the first 5 days after discharge, and increased risk was also associated with multiple admissions during the previous year, previous suicide attempts, previous diagnosis of depression, male gender, and previous admissions to general hospitals for physical disorders. After adjusting for these factors, no effect was found for age. There was some evidence of an excess of suicides during temporary leave from the psychiatric department.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that preventive measures could be focused on the first period after discharge, when closer monitoring and better social support may be needed. This may also apply to patients on temporary leave during a period of admission.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 4 , October 1997 , pp. 355 - 359
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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