The prevalence of aborted suicide attempts among psychiatric in-patients.
We report the prevalence of aborted suicide attempts in which the essential characteristics are (i) intent to kill oneself (ii) a change of mind before making an actual suicide attempt and (iii) the absence of physical injury. The lifetime history of aborted suicide attempts was assessed by semi-structured interview of 733 patients, aged 18-59 years, who were consecutively admitted to a psychiatric hospital. In the study group, 46% of subjects had made a suicide attempt and 29% had made at least one aborted attempt during their lifetime. Subjects who had made aborted attempts were more likely to have made actual attempts. Approximately 11% of the subjects in the study group had a history of aborted attempts of potential high lethality, such as going to a height in order to jump, or holding a gun to the head. There were no major demographic differences between those with and without a history of aborted attempts. However, among those with no prior history of actual attempts, subjects with depression and a family history of suicide were more than twice as likely as those without such a history to have made an aborted attempt. Aborted suicide attempts are a common suicidal behaviour among psychiatric in-patients. Whether they predict actual attempts or suicide warrants prospective investigation.
Marzuk
P M
PM
Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Tardiff
K
K
Leon
A C
AC
Portera
L
L
Weiner
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention