title: Suicidal behavior in chronic schizophrenic patients: a follow-up study.
abstract: A follow-up study was carried out of suicidal behavior among 127 chronic schizophrenic patients. We were able to obtain follow-up information for 100 of the 127 patients (78.7%). Over the mean follow-up time of 4 1/2 years, 6 of these 100 patients (6%) had committed suicide and 16 other patients (16%) had attempted suicide. Chronic schizophrenic patients who attempted suicide during the follow-up period, compared with those who did not, had had significantly more psychiatric admissions. Using the data obtained at the time of the index admission we were unable to accurately predict the 6 schizophrenic patients who were known to have subsequently committed suicide.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology