Factors of early suicide after discharge: a national linkage study for suicide victims in Taiwan.
Patients recently discharged from psychiatric inpatient care have a higher suicide rate. The study aimed to identify the characteristics associated with early suicide of those patients discharged from psychiatric wards in Taiwan. The results indicated that among 672 suicide victims who died within one year post-discharge from psychiatric wards in Taiwan between 2000 and 2004, diagnosis of schizophrenia, shorter disease duration, and co-morbidity with cancer were all significantly associated with suicide occurring within one month of discharge. Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, recent psychiatric diagnosis, and co-morbidity with severe physical illnesses should receive special monitoring for potential suicide after discharge.
Tseng
Kuan-Chiao
KC
National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City, Taiwan. ktseng@ntu.edu.tw
Chang
Chia-Ming
CM
Liao
Shih-Cheng
SC
Chen
Ying-Yeh
YY
Lee
Ming-Been
MB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000639:trends*; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult