title: Suicides among cancer patients in Estonia: a population-based study.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the suicide risk among cancer patients in Estonia. This risk was examined in a cohort of 65,419 persons diagnosed with cancer in 1983-1998. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated using the suicide rates of the population of Estonia as a reference. During 192,078 person-years of follow-up between 1983 and 2000, 197 suicides occurred in the cohort. An increased suicide risk was found for men (SMR=1.73; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.45-2.01), but not for women (SMR=0.50; 95% CI 0.37-0.66). Men had the highest risk 90-179 days following their diagnosis (SMR=4.27; 95% CI 2.81-6.21). During this time interval, among men, the risk was more pronounced for cancers of the oesophagus (SMR=35.63; 95% CI 9.71-91.22) and pancreas (SMR=14.53; 95% CI 1.76-52.50). This study provides further evidence that cancer is a risk factor for suicide, at least in men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Hiiu 42, 11619 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Innos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rahu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baburin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*