title: Psychological autopsy of suicide-a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychological autopsy is the reconstruction of events leading to death. There are few studies on psychological autopsy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand the profile of suicide completers and find out ways of dealing with it.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty suicide cases were analysed. Using a semi-structured, self-designed questionnaire, the family, friends and relatives of the deceased were interviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of some type of psychiatric disorder and stressful life events are two important reasons for committing suicide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological autopsy is a very important tool for assessing the causes and precipitants of suicide. More and more studies in this field are required with a larger sample size for the evaluation of suicides.
authors: Senior House Officer, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Farooq Ahmed
authors: FA
authors: Khan
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Anand
authors: M Gowri
authors: MG
authors: Devi
authors: K Krishna
authors: KK
authors: Murthy