Death diagnoses among suicides: An overview based on official Danish records, 1972-93

Journal/Book: Nord J Psychiatr. 1997; 51: PO Box 2959 Toyen, Journal Division, Customer Service, N-0608 Oslo, Norway. Scandinavian University Press. 339-349.

Abstract: On the basis of printouts of the Danish Central Death Register compiled by the National Board of Health, the frequencies of the three types of death diagnoses stated on the death certificate (the underlying, the secondary, and the tertiary cause of death) have been calculated for all deaths registered as suicide during a period of 22 years. In addition, samples of death certificates have been scrutinized. Analyses showed that the number of suicides registered under a psychiatric diagnosis decreased during the period from 76% to 59% for males and from 79% to 66% for females. For both males and females, the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis was non-classifiable psychoses; for males the second most frequent diagnosis was alcoholism, and for females manic depression, closely followed by alcoholism. The suitability of using death certificates and cause-of-death statistics only as basis for studying death diagnoses among suicides is critically discussed.

Note: Article BilleBrahe U, Ctr Suicidol Res, Tietgens Allee 108, DK-5230 Odense, DENMARK

Keyword(s): death diagnoses; psychiatric diseases; suicide; ADOLESCENT SUICIDE

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