SUICIDE IN A PSYCHIATRIC PRACTICE POPULATION

Abstract

Suicide occurred in 48 of 12,500 adult private psychiatric patients, representing 40,100 yr of follow-up. Suicide rates (per 100,000 patients per yr), computed from the diagnostic profile of all patients in the practice, were especially high for schizophrenia (411) and bipolar affective disorder (318). The rate for unipolar depression (42) was only slightly higher than that for the general population of San Diego County [California, USA] as computed from coroner''s office data. Personality disorder, alcoholism, multiple diagnoses and psychosis all were associated with increased risk of suicide. Coroner''s office reports probably do not accurately reflect suicide risk in treated psychiatric patients.