[A comparative study of suicide notes in over 65 years old patients (preliminary data)].
OBJECTIVE
To determine, in older suicide attempt inpatients, differences between leaving a suicide note and not leaving it as regards age, sex, marital status, religion, living alone, level of education, present psychiatric treatment, severity of suicidal attempt, previous suicidal arousal, afterwards suicidal arousal, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, depression, dementia, narcissistic personality disorder, physical pain, previous suicide attempt, familiar history of suicide or suicide attempt.


METHODS
This is a comparative, prospective, observational, transversal, single blind study.


RESULTS
We studied 31 patients. Statistical significant associations were found between leaving a suicide note and hopelessness (p=0.03;OR=8.57;IC=1.19-95.33) and severe suicide attempt (p=0.022;OR=8.40;IC=1.28-63.88).


CONCLUSIONS
Although associations between writing suicide notes and hopelessness have not been reported, our results are not surprising because, on one side, the severity of the suicide attempt is more related to hopelessness than to any other depressive parameter and, on the other side, leaving a suicide note is associated to severe suicide attempts. Finally, to feel hopeless and to leave a suicide note are associated to severe suicide attempts.
Ruiz
Martín
M
Sector Interconsultas, Servicio de Psiquitría, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dabi
Eugenia
E
Vairo
María Carolina
MC
Matusevich
Daniel
D
Finkelsztein
Carlos
C
Faccioli
José
J
D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data