title: The Wessex Suicide Audit 1988-1993: A study of 1457 suicides with and without a recent psychiatric contact.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The inquest files of 1457 suicides from a defined geographical area were inspected to establish their psychiatric patient status at the time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Risk factors significantly more prevalent in recent psychiatric patient (RPP) suicides than in other suicides were determined. (RPPs were psychiatric patients who died before discharge, within a year of discharge from inpatient care, or within a year of last contact with a specialist psychiatric service).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were found between the RPP suicides and other suicides in causes of death, drugs used in fatal overdose, clinical characteristics and time since contact with a medical practitioner, particularly with a GP. RPPs were significantly ( P < 0.01) more likely to have: had a family history of mental illness; attempted suicide in the previous 6 months; made a suicide threat in the previous month; died from an overdose of prescribed medication; shown symptoms of depression; and been in contact with a doctor in the preceding week.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The similarity of the RPP and other suicides in Wessex to those in both national and international suicide populations suggest that the findings may be generally applicable.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: King
keywords: Suicide Mental Illness Antidepressants Risk Factors General Practitioners