Suicide and awareness of illness in schizophrenia: an overview.
Suicide is the first cause of premature death in patients with schizophrenia. Numerous studies have identified risk factors for suicide among these patients. This study reviews available literature focusing on awareness of illness in patients with schizophrenia. Insight, or awareness of illness, has been considered a risk factor for suicide in schizophrenic patients. In assessing insight, many issues have to be taken into account, because a high degree of insight is not desirable in some conditions.
Pompili
Maurizio
M
Department of Psychiatry, Sant'Andrea Hospital, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it
Ruberto
Amedeo
A
Kotzalidis
Giorgio D
GD
Girardi
Paolo
P
Tatarelli
Roberto
R
D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*