Suicide in psychiatric patients in Denmark, 1971-81. I. Demographic and diagnostic description.

Data concerning all suicide cases in Denmark with a psychiatric history (1971-81) were compiled through computer record linkage between central registers. Cases of suicide during and up to 1 year after inpatient hospitalization were investigated. 21% of the suicides took place while the patient was still hospitalized. The overall suicide rates increased slightly faster than in the population without recent psychiatric hospitalization. There were few suicides in the groups over 65 and under 25 years of age. A sharp relative increase in suicide mortality in the provincial and particularly rural populations was noted. Approximately half of the patients were psychotic, mainly with major affective disorder. The percentage of patients with neurosis or personality disorder decreased. 37% of the men and 18% of the women were diagnosed as substance abusers. Fairly consistently, approximately 10% of the suicide victims were characterized by affective reactions or no psychiatric illness.