Secular trends in psychiatric diagnoses of suicide victims.
Post-mortem psychiatric diagnoses are compared in two cohorts of male suicides from St. Louis (1956-1957) (Robins, 1981) and San Diego (1981-1982) (Rich et al., 1986). Similar structured interviews and diagnostic criteria had been used in both assessments. Substance/alcohol abuse has remained the major diagnosis in suicides under age 60. Rates of depressive disorder alone have decreased overall, due mostly to decreased rates in the elderly. Thus, depression occurs more frequently in younger ages. Comorbid depression and substance/alcohol abuse has also increased in younger ages. Implications in terms of the so-called 'cohort effect' are discussed.
Carlson
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GA
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794.
Rich
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CL
Grayson
P
P
Fowler
R C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000639:trends*