Analysis of parasuicide, psychiatric care and completed suicides, implications for intervention strategy (Czech Republic, 1996-2000).
BACKGROUND
This retrospective study analyses the differences between suicide with and without previous parasuicide. The Czech Republic was one of the countries with the traditionally highest level of suicide mortality. During collapse of the communist regime and deep societal changes in the Czech Republic after the year 1989 the escalation of suicides was expected. Mortality from suicides decreased, however the gender and age differences increased.


METHODS
A total of 2,711 suicides in the Czech Republic (1996-2000) were studied. Effects of socioeconomic characteristics, psychiatric diagnosis and care, and lifetime history of parasuicide on the risk of death from suicide were estimated using logistic regression.


RESULTS
Twenty-three percent of persons who committed suicide had a prior history of parasuicide and almost twenty percent of them received no psychiatric care after the attempt. Young males with basic education, economically active and diagnosed with substance abuse related disorders and the elderly were least likely to receive psychiatric care before their suicide death.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for age specific primary and secondary prevention are discussed.
Dzúrová
Dagmar
D
Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. dzurova@natur.cuni.cz
Vevera
Jan
J
Motlová
Lucie
L
Dragomirecká
Eva
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018153:Czech Republic; D004493:Education; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention