Suicide on the Isle of Wight: A Case-study of 35 Suicides among Mental Health Service Users Between 2006 and 2008.

AIMS

To identify the sociodemographic, clinical and service delivery risk factors for suicide in psychiatric patients in a limited geographic area.

METHOD

A retrospective case study of 35 patients who died as a result of suicide between January 2006 and December 2008.

RESULTS

Male gender, unemployment, living alone, basic education and significant life events were identified as sociodemographic factors. A history of previous psychiatric admission, previous suicide attempt, suffering from depression, co-morbidity of another psychiatric disorder (mainly stress-related symptoms and alcoholism), and contacting the services prior to suicide were found as typical clinical factors. Hanging was the most common method of suicide in both men and women. Most men died in spring and summer, while the majority of females died in autumn.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

As in similar studies, mental disorders could be identified as the strongest risk factor for suicide. Almost 70% of suicides were conducted by people suffering from a mental disorder. Treating mental disorders and identifying certain sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of people suffering from mental disorders and addressing them is the key in suicide prevention strategies.