[Suicidal behaviors in mentally retarded patients].
Mental retardation is a common phenomena in general population. Mentally retarded patients have basically weaker adjustment abilities to changing conditions of the day life routines. Since the risk of mental disorders is four times higher among mentally retarded than in general population, it seems interesting to investigate suicidal behavior at mentally retarded patients. As the literature shows the frequency of committed and attempted suicides is lower than in general population, however it cannot be ignored.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate suicidal behaviors in the group of mentally retarded patients who have been admitted to psychiatric hospital.


METHODS
The medical documentation of patients hospitalized in Babiński's Hospital in Lodz in 2006 with diagnosis of mental retardation (F70-F79 according to ICD-10). The patients hospitalized throughout the year 2006 with co morbid psychiatric diagnosis as well as those with only stated mental retardation were taken into account. The analysis was based on questionnaire specially prepared for that paper. The results were statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
71 medical histories of in-patients, of which 32 were women (45%) and 39 were men (54.9%) were analyzed. The average age was 34.2 +/- 12.9. There was no statistical significance in attempting suicides depending on sex, however there was statistical significance depending on the level of mental retardation--more patients with impaired in light degree attempted suicides. In analyzed community both women and men attempted suicides mainly by self-injuries, however there was no statistical significance. There was statistical significance between the level of mental retardation and the chosen way of attempting suicide: patients impaired in light degree more often chosen self-injuries.


CONCLUSIONS
Suicidal behaviors are not frequent reason of admission to psychiatric hospital among mentally retarded patients. The study shows the statistical significance between the level of mental impairment and attempting suicides in general as well as the chosen method of attempting suicide. There was not statistical significance neither between the sex of mentally retarded patients and attempting suicide in general nor between sex and the chosen method.
Bobińska
Kinga
K
Medical University of Lodz, Poland. k.bobinska@op.pl
Florkowski
Antonii
A
Amigielski
Janusz
J
Gałecki
Piotr
P
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*