The serious suicide attempt. Five-year follow-up study of 886 patients.

A five-year follow-up study was undertaken of a previously reported 1968 cohort of 886 people who had attempted suicide. The working hypothesis that those who had seriously attempted suicide (21%) would have a higher suicide rate on long-term follow-up was confirmed. During the five-year follow-up period, a total of 34 suicides were found, which represented 3.84% of the total number at risk. Of those who had seriously attempted suicide, 12 (6.45%) of 186 succeeded later; of the other (nonserious or less serious) attempters, 22 (3.1%) of 700 succeeded. The serious-attempter suicide rate was 2.1 times that of the others, and this difference was statistically significant (P less than .05). In addition, patients who made attempts that were judged serious on medical but not on psychiatric grounds were found to have a suicide rate significantly higher (P less than .05) than patients who had made suicide attempts that were not a serious medical threat.