title: Adults' use of health services in the year before death by suicide in Alberta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The suicide rate in Alberta is consistently above the Canadian average. Health care use profiles of those who die by suicide in Alberta are currently unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Death records were selected for people aged 25 to 64 with suicide coded as the underlying cause of death from April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2006. The death records were linked to administrative records pertaining to physician visits, emergency department visits, inpatient hospital separations, and community mental health visits. The control group was the Alberta population aged 25 to 64 who did not die by suicide. Frequency estimates were produced to determine the characteristics of the study population. Odds ratios relating to demographics, exposure to health care services, and case-control status were estimated with logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 90% of suicides had a health service in the year before their death. Suicides averaged 16.6 visits per person, compared with 7.7 visits for non-suicides. Much of the health service use among people who died by suicide appears to have been driven by mental disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Information about health service delivery to those who die by suicide can guide prevention and intervention efforts.
authors: Alberta Children and Youth Services, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2N2. ken.morrison@gov.ab.ca
authors: Kenneth B
authors: KB
authors: Morrison
authors: Lory
authors: L
authors: Laing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*