MORTALITY AND SUICIDE RATES OF INVOLUNTARILY COMMITTED PATIENTS

The mortality and suicide rates for involuntarily committed patients i n Denmark are presented. Two cohorts of psychiatric patients committed to a mental hospital from January 1, 1971 to December 31, 1975 (8322 people) and January 1, 1981 to December 31, 1985 (5253 people) have be en followed. The standard mortality rate (SMR) in relation to the tota l Danish population were 4.9 (4.5-5.4) and 5.2 (4.7-5.8), respectively , for the two cohorts, during the first year after involuntarily commi tment to a mental hospital. During the same period, the SMR for suicid e among the committed patients were 44.9 (37.1-53.9) and 30.9 (24.2-38 .9), respectively. The crude suicide rates among the committed patient s during the first year after the commitment were 14.3 and 14.0, respe ctively, per 1000 years, unchanged between the cohorts. Short length o f stay in hospital (<14 days), a nonpsychotic main diagnosis, male sex , and age 35 years or more were equally related to high risk of suicid e in the 1971 cohort as evaluated to proportional hazard methods (Cox regression), and short length of stay and commitment on the danger ind ication provided the most information in relation to high suicidal ris k in the 1981 cohort. Methodological problems and the reasons for the results are discussed.