title: Psychiatric disorders in cases of completed suicide in a hospital area in Spain between 2007 and 2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide is an important Public Health problem. One of the most relevant known risk factors for suicide is suffering from a mental health disorder, identified in up to 90-95% of completed suicides, with this risk being increased if comorbidity is present. Findings from international research on the most common psychiatric disorders are dichotomous, divided into mood disorders and psychotic disorders. In Spain, data of this kind are scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study describes the psychiatric and forensic characteristics of completed suicide cases (n=79) ocurred in a psychiatric hospital healthcare area (in Spain), between 2007 and 2010. The forensic data were obtained from the Institute of Legal Medicine of Catalonia and the clinical data by reviewing the clinical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the subjects in this sample were males (78.5%, 95% CI; 68.4%-87.3%). Almost half of the sample (45.4%, 95% CI; 33.8%-57.1%, 35/77) had records in the Mental Health Services Network (including substance misuse services). Two of the 79 were under 18, so we were not able to access the records. More than half (54.3%, 95% CI; 37.1%-71.4%) of those with psychiatric history suffered from a mood disorder; 37.1% (95% CI; 22.9%-51.4% from a depressive disorder; 14.3% (95% CI; 2.9%-25.7%) from a bipolar disorder, and 17.1% (95% CI; 5.7%-31.4%) suffered from a psychotic disorder. With regard to substance misuse, 42.9% (95% CI; 25.7%-60.0%) presented substance misuse, and 48.6% did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychiatric and forensic characteristics of completed suicide in this Spanish sample confirm previous findings from international studies: there is a high rate of psychiatric disorders in those who complete suicide, and there is a specific pattern as regards the method used to complete it.
authors.affiliation: Centres Assistencials Emili Mira i López, Santa Coloma de Gramanet, España; Fundació Sociosanitària de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, España; Colegio de Médicos de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: elgomezduran@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Esperanza L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Gómez-Durán
authors.affiliation: Centres Assistencials Emili Mira i López, Santa Coloma de Gramanet, España; Saint Mary's Hospital, Imperial College, Londres, Gran Bretaña.
authors.forename: M Azul
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Forti-Buratti
authors.affiliation: Centres Assistencials Emili Mira i López, Santa Coloma de Gramanet, España; Fundación ARGIBIDE, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-López
authors.affiliation: Centres Assistencials Emili Mira i López, Santa Coloma de Gramanet, España; Centro de Salud Mental Maresme Nord, Calella, España.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belmonte-Ibáñez
authors.affiliation: Institut de Medicina Legal de Catalunya, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin-Fumadó
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Completed suicide; Diagnóstico psiquiátrico; Mental health disorder; Metodología suicida; Psychiatric diagnosis; Suicide method; Suicidio consumado; Trastorno mental