Treatment received by alcohol-dependent suicide attempters.
The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical features of alcohol-dependent suicide attempters and the treatment they received before and after the index attempt. A total of 47 subjects with current DSM-III-R alcohol dependence were identified from a systematic sample of 114 suicide attempters in Helsinki. All of them were comprehensively interviewed after the attempt, and the treatment they had received was established from psychiatric and other health-care records and follow-up interviews. Most had a history of psychiatric (83%) or substance abuse (83%) treatment. During the final month before the attempt, half of the subjects (51%) had been treated by health care services; 11% had received disulfiram-treatment and 6% had received psychotherapy. Subjects complied with recommended aftercare more often when they had been actively referred. After 1 month, 64% were being treated by health care services. However, only 14% were receiving disulfiram-treatment and 9% were receiving psychotherapy. These findings suggest that the quality and activity of treatment offered to suicide attempters with alcohol dependence should be improved.
Suominen
K H
KH
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Isometsä
E T
ET
Henriksson
M M
MM
Ostamo
A I
AI
Lönnqvist
J K
JK
D000328:Adult; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014944:World Health Organization
D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D004221:Disulfiram