Suicide risk among inpatients at a university general hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the proportion of inpatients at a university general hospital who are at risk of committing suicide.


METHODS
A random sample of 253 patients (57% males) aged 18 years old or older, admitted to surgical and clinical wards, was assessed using the the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, which has a section that evaluates the risk for suicide. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed.


RESULTS
There were 58 (23%) patients with a risk for suicide, 13 (5% of total) of whom presented a high risk. The prevalence of suicide risk was greater in young adult patients, those with no matrimonial relationship and those diagnosed with major depression (univariate analysis, Chi-squared test; p = 0.01, 0.03 and 0.0001, respectively). The multivariate analysis revealed that the risk for suicide in individuals younger than 30 years old was two fold higher than in those individuals between the ages of 30 and 59 years (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.22-0.93; p = 0.03) and four fold greater than in those who were 60 years old or older (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.1-0.64; p = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
When young adults are admitted to general hospitals they should receive special attention due to their suicidal potential.
Ferreira
Marianne Herrera Falceti
MH
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Colombo
Elisabetta Sachsida
ES
Guimarães
Paula Serra-Azul
PS
Soeiro
Rachel Esteves
RE
Dalgalarrondo
Paulo
P
Botega
Neury José
NJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data