title: Female suicides: Psychosocial and psychiatric characteristics identified by a psychological autopsy study in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the female suicide rate in Japan is one of the highest among OECD countries, little has been done to assess the psychosocial and psychiatric characteristics of Japanese female suicide completers. This study aimed to examine sex differences in psychosocial and psychiatric characteristics of suicide completers using a psychological autopsy study method, and to identify female suicide factors and intervention points to prevent female suicides.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semi-structured interview was conducted with close family members of adult suicide completers. The interview included questions regarding sociodemographic factors, suicide characteristics, previous suicidal behaviors and a family history of suicidal behaviors, financial problems, and physical/psychiatric problems. Fisher's exact test and the Student's t-test were used to explore sex differences in these survey items, and individual descriptive information of female suicide cases was also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 92 suicide completers, 28 were female and 64 were male. Females had a significantly higher prevalence of a history of self-harm/suicide attempts (P < 0.001). The prevalence of eating disorders was significantly higher among females than males (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study highlight the importance of providing psychological and social support to caregivers of those who repeatedly attempt suicide and express suicidal thoughts, and to suggest the need to improve community care systems to be aware of suicide risk factors among female suicide attempters.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.
authors.forename: Manami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodaka
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kawasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.affiliation: Mental Health and Welfare Center, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shirakawa
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan.|Mental Health and Welfare Center, Kawasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeshima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D005192:Family Health; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: female; mental disorders; protective factors; risk factors; suicide