A 5-year follow-up study of suicide attempts

Author(s): Ojehagen, A., Traskmanbendz, L.

Journal/Book: Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1996; 93: 35 Norre Sogade, PO Box 2148, DK-1016 Copenhagen, Denmark. Munksgaard Int Publ Ltd. 151-157.

Abstract: Seventy-five patients were admitted to the ward of the Lund Suicide Research Center following a suicide attempt. After 5 years, the patients were followed up by a personal semistructured interview covering sociodemographic, psychosocial and psychiatric areas. Ten patients (13%) had committed suicide during the follow-up period, the majority within 2 years. They tended to be older at the index attempt admission, and most of them had a mood disorder in comparison with the others. Two patients had died from somatic diseases; Forty-two patients were interviewed, of whom 17 (40%) had reattempted during the follow-up period, most of them within 3 years. Predictors for reattempt were young age, personality disorder, parents having received treatment for psychiatric disorder, and a poor social network. At the index attempt, none of the reattempters had diagnoses of adjustment disorders or anxiety disorders. At follow-up, reattempters had more psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90), and their overall functioning (GAF) was poor compared to those who did not reattempt. All of the reattempters had had long-lasting treatment (> 3 years) as compared to 56% of the others. It is of great clinical importance to focus on treatment strategies for the vulnerable subgroup of self-destructive reattempters.

Note: Article EJ Fridell, Univ Lund Hosp, Dept Psychiat, S-22185 Lund, Sweden

Keyword(s): suicide attempt; suicide; longitudinal study; outcome; social network; DEATH; RISK

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