[Comparing high- and low-lethality factors regarding attempted suicide-associated risk factors].

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed at identifying the most common risk factors associated with suicide attempts to determine differences between risk factors present in patients regarding their low-lethality and high-fatality suicide attempts.

METHOD

106 patients from both sexes who had been hospitalised in a psychiatric unit following their attempts at suicide were interviewed; they were divided into two groups: low-lethality and high-lethality suicide attempt patients.

RESULTS

58.5 % of the 106 patients were placed in the low-lethality group and 41.5 % in the high-lethality group. The highest rates occurred in the high-lethality group but only two factors had significant statistical difference: "living alone" and "prior alcohol poisoning". 77.4 % of the sample were aged under 39, 7 % were female and 31 % male. Having a family background of alcoholism, previously attempted suicide, generalised anxiety and dysthymia had the highest percentages as risk factors associated with attempted suicide in both groups. The risk factors having the highest percentages were consistent with those reported in the literature.

CONCLUSIONS

The fact of living alone and having previously suffered alcohol poisoning had statistically significant differences in this study. No significant differences were found in the rest of the factors studied here.