CONSULTATION-LIAISON-PSYCHIATRY AND THE C ARE OF PATIENTS WITH SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AT THE MEDICAL CLINIC OF THE UNIVERSITY-OF-ULM

The basis of our study is the documentation of psychiatric consultatio ns with an average of 74 admissions of patients with suicide attempts each year in the Medical Clinic. Out of 143 suicide attempt patients w ho were treated in den hospital in 1990/91, psychiatric and general me dical records were examined retrospectively. The further development w as investigated by a mail-catamnesis and also inquiries as to their wh ereabouts were made. A recommendation to their general physician as we ll as further suggestions for follow-up consultations were documented for at least two thirds of the suicidal patients. But only in a small number of the persons such contacts took place, with most of the suici dal patients only 1-2 fellow-up contacts occurred. The number of suici dal acts - ending in death or not - is frightfully high inspite of var ious psychiatric/psychotherapeutic efforts and inspite of progress in intensive care medicine. The specific problems of suicidal persons mak e the therapeutic contact very difficult and according to our opinion this must be included ir the considerations for improving the post-tre atment.