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The Wessex Suicide Audit 1988-1993: A retrospective audit of 1457 suicides with and without a recent psychiatric contact

The Wessex Suicide Audit 1988-1993: A retrospective audit of 1457 suicides with and without a recent psychiatric contact
The Wessex Suicide Audit 1988-1993: A retrospective audit of 1457 suicides with and without a recent psychiatric contact
INTRODUCTION: The inquest files of 1457 suicides from a defined geographical area were inspected to establish their psychiatric patient status at the time. METHOD: Risk factors significantly more prevalent in recent psychiatric patient (RPP) suicides than in other suicides were determined. (RPPs were psychiatric patients who died before discharge, within a year of discharge from inpatient care, or within a year of last contact with a specialist psychiatric service). RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the RPP suicides and other suicides in causes of death, drugs used in fatal overdose, clinical characteristics and time since contact with a medical practitioner, particularly with a GP. RPPs were significantly (P < 0.01) more likely to have: had a family history of mental illness; attempted suicide in the previous 6 months; made a suicide threat in the previous month; died from an overdose of prescribed medication; shown symptoms of depression; and been in contact with a doctor in the preceding week. CONCLUSION: The similarity of the RPP and other suicides in Wessex to those in both national and international suicide populations suggest that the findings may be generally applicable.
111-118
King, E.A.
acdd85c2-07c8-48db-ba6b-96bef9e09f4c
King, E.A.
acdd85c2-07c8-48db-ba6b-96bef9e09f4c

King, E.A. (2001) The Wessex Suicide Audit 1988-1993: A retrospective audit of 1457 suicides with and without a recent psychiatric contact. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 5 (2), 111-118. (doi:10.1080/136515001300374849).

Record type: Article

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The inquest files of 1457 suicides from a defined geographical area were inspected to establish their psychiatric patient status at the time. METHOD: Risk factors significantly more prevalent in recent psychiatric patient (RPP) suicides than in other suicides were determined. (RPPs were psychiatric patients who died before discharge, within a year of discharge from inpatient care, or within a year of last contact with a specialist psychiatric service). RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the RPP suicides and other suicides in causes of death, drugs used in fatal overdose, clinical characteristics and time since contact with a medical practitioner, particularly with a GP. RPPs were significantly (P < 0.01) more likely to have: had a family history of mental illness; attempted suicide in the previous 6 months; made a suicide threat in the previous month; died from an overdose of prescribed medication; shown symptoms of depression; and been in contact with a doctor in the preceding week. CONCLUSION: The similarity of the RPP and other suicides in Wessex to those in both national and international suicide populations suggest that the findings may be generally applicable.

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Published date: 2001

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Local EPrints ID: 27626
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/27626
PURE UUID: 1303ddd1-0fae-4227-afb7-ebd3ed163919

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Date deposited: 27 Apr 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:20

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Author: E.A. King

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