title: Attempted and completed suicide: not what we expected?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide attempters and suicide completers are two overlapping but distinct suicide populations. This study aims to present a more accurate characterization by comparing populations of suicide attempters and completers from the same geographical area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples and procedure: All cases of attempted suicide treated at the emergency room of the Corporacio Sanitària i Universitària Tauli Parc de Sabadell in 2008 (n=312) were compared with all completed suicides recorded in the same geographical area from 2008 to 2011 (n=86). Hospital and primary care records were reviewed for sociodemographic and clinical variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chi-square, ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to identify characteristics related to suicide completion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to suicide attempters, suicide completers were more likely to be male (73.3% vs. 37.8%; p<0.001), pensioners (73.7% vs. 23.4%; p<0.001), and people living alone (31.8% vs. 11.4%; p=0.006). Suicide completers more frequently presented somatic problems (71.7 vs. 15.7; p<0.001), Major Depressive Disorder (54.7% vs. 27.9%; p<0.001), and made use of more lethal methods (74.1 vs. 1.9; p<0.001). Suicide completers were more likely to have been followed by a primary care provider (50.0% vs. 16.0%; p<0.001). 92.3% of the suicides committed were completed during the first or second attempt.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suicide completers were not evaluated using the psychological autopsy method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite presenting a profile of greater social and clinical severity, suicide completers are less likely to be followed by Mental Health Services than suicide attempters. Current prevention programs should be tailored to the specific profile of suicide completers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Corporacio Sanitària Parc Tauli de Sabadell (Barcelona), Institut Universitari Parc Tauli-Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus d'Excellència Internacional, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain. Iparra@tauli.cat
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Parra Uribe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blasco-Fontecilla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: García-Parés
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giró Batalla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llorens Capdevila
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cebrià Meca
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Leon-Martinez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pérez-Solà
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Palao Vidal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012179:Retirement; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Prevention; Primary care; Suicide