Mental disease in a forensic autopsy population of alcoholics.
A retrospective examination of fatalities was carried out during a five-year period among alcoholics in Copenhagen who had undergone forensic examination. The frequency of mental disease was compared with that among a non-alcoholic control group. In an examination of 2298 deaths, it was found that alcoholics had a higher frequency of unipolar affective disorder and of general "nervousness'. Previous suicide attempts were more frequent in alcoholics, and both alcoholics and controls had a higher frequency of previous suicide attempts among the depressed and those who later committed suicide than among those who did not.
Thomsen
J L
JL
University Institute of Forensic Science, Odense, Denmark.
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D001344:Autopsy; D003718:Denmark; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data