Suicidal Feelings in the General Population: A Prevalence Study

Abstract

Seven hundred and twenty subjects from a general population survey were interviewed as to the occurrence of suicidal feelings of five different degrees. A total of 8.9 per cent reported suicidal feelings of some degree in the past year. Responses ranged along a continuum such that subjects reporting more intense feelings also reported the less intense. For 3.5 per cent the maximum intensity consisted only of feelings that life was not worth while; 2.8 per cent reached the point of wishing themselves dead, 1 per cent the point of having thought of taking their lives, 1 per cent seriously considered suicide or made plans, and 0.6 per cent made an actual suicide attempt.