EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ATTEMPTED-SUICIDE BY DRUG INGESTION IN VIENNA

We studied 361 Viennese patients (m = 111, f= 250) admitted to our obs ervation ward after attempted suicide by drug ingestion over a two-yea r period. Age and sex distribution, social status, time of attempt, mo tives, and drugs used were documented, as well as the therapeutic mana gement of the cases. The patients were divided into 4 age groups: 57 j uveniles, 179 young adults, 80 middle-aged adults and 45 geriatric pat ients. These groups were compared with each other in manifold respects . Our analysis showed that the geriatric patients who had attempted su icide by drug ingestion differed from those of other groups insofar as there was a lack of exogenous influence with regard to motives and me thods. They may represent a separate entity more akin to suicide than to attempted suicide. Vienna data on attempted suicide by drug ingesti on did not differ markedly from international data.