GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS AND YOUNG SUICIDES A PREVENTIVE ROLE FOR PRIMARY-CARE

Background. The suicide rate in young men, but not young women, is ris ing. One possible route to suicide prevention is through general pract ice but recent evidence suggests that young suicides are not likely to attend GP surgeries prior to death. Method. We carried put a retrospe ctive examination of general practice contacts by a 2-year sample of s uicides under 35 years of age in the 12 health districts of Greater Ma nchester. In the 61 young suicides who were known to attend a GP in th e three months before death, we recorded (a) the number of consultatio ns each week in the three months before suicide; (b) sex differences i n rates of and reasons for consultation; (c) frequency of recorded ris k assessment at the last GP visit before suicide. Results. The number of GP visits increased significantly before death. A monthly increase was more evident in males, but the increase in the week before death w as more marked in females. There was no sex difference in the rate of GP visits before suicide; both sexes were most likely to attend for ps ychological reasons. Significant suicide risk had been noted at none o f the final GP visits. Conclusions. There remains a potential role for GPs in preventing suicides by young people of both sexes. The recent increase in suicide by young males does not appear to be related to a lower rate of GP attendance before death. Future training of GPs in th is area should focus on risk assessment.