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

INTRODUCTION: The inquest files of 1457 suicides from a defined geographica l area were inspected to establish their psychiatric patient status at the time. METHOD: Risk factors significantly more prevalent in recent psychiatric pat ient (RPP) suicides than in other suicides were determined. (RPPs were psyc hiatric patients who died before discharge, within a year of discharge from inpatient care, or within a year of last contact with a specialist psychia tric set-vice). RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the RPP suicides and ot her suicides in causes of death, drugs used in fatal overdose, clinical cha racteristics and time since contact with a medical practitioner, particular ly 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 mont hs; made a suicide threat in the previous month; died from an overdose of p rescribed medication; shown symptoms of depression; and been in contact wit h 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 fi ndings may be generally applicable.