HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in BJP Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by KING, E. A. Articles by THOMPSON, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by KING, E. A. Articles by THOMPSON, C.

The Wessex Recent In-Patient Suicide Study, 1

Case—control study of 234 recently discharged psychiatricpatient suicides

¹ Mental Health Group, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Southampton, Southampton
² Institute of General Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Correspondence: Dr Elizabeth A. King, Mental Health Group, University Department of Psychiatry, RSH Hospital, Brinton's Terrace, Southampton SO14 0YG, UK. E-mail: eak{at}soton.ac.uk

Declaration of interest This study was funded by the NHS South & West Research and Development Directorate.

See part 2, pp. 537–542, this issue.

Background Psychiatric patients have a higher suicide risk following hospital discharge.

Aims To identify social, clinical and health-care delivery factors in recently discharged patients.

Method Retrospective case—control study of 234 patients who died within 1 year of hospital discharge, matched for age, gender, diagnosis and admission period with 431 controls. Odds ratios for identified risk factors were calculated using conditional multiple logistic regression.

Results Independent increased-risk factors were: not being White; living alone; history of deliberate self-harm (DSH); suicidal ideation precipitating admission; hopelessness; admission under different consultant; onset of relationship difficulties; loss of job; in-patient DSH; unplanned discharge; significant care professional leaving/on leave. Reduced-risk factors were: shared accommodation; delusions at admission; misuse of non-prescribed substances; and continuity of contact.

Conclusions Continuity of contact may reduce suicide risk. Discontinuity of care from a significant professional is associated with increased risk of suicide.

Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue

ELIZABETH WALSH
BJP 2001 178: 0. [Full Text]  

The Wessex Recent In-Patient Suicide Study, 2: Case—control study of 59 in-patient suicides

ELIZABETH A. KING, DAVID S. BALDWIN, JULIA M. A. SINCLAIR, and MICHAEL J. CAMPBELL
BJP 2001 178: 537-542. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H.-C. Lee and H.-C. Lin Are Psychiatrist Characteristics Associated With Postdischarge Suicide of Schizophrenia Patients? Schizophr Bull, February 16, 2008; (2008) sbn007v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M.A. Sinclair, A. H. Latifi, and A. W. Latifi Co-morbid substance misuse in psychiatric patients: prevalence and association with length of inpatient stay J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 2008; 22(1): 92 - 99. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A I Fathelrahman, A F Ab Rahman, Z M. Zain, and M A Tengku Factors associated with adult poisoning in Northern Malaysia: a case-control study Human and Experimental Toxicology, April 1, 2006; 25(4): 167 - 173. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. MEEHAN, N. KAPUR, I. M. HUNT, P. TURNBULL, J. ROBINSON, H. BICKLEY, R. PARSONS, S. FLYNN, J. BURNS, T. AMOS, et al. Suicide in mental health in-patients and within 3 months of discharge: National clinical survey The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2006; 188(2): 129 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Crawford Suicide following discharge from in-patient psychiatric care Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., November 1, 2004; 10(6): 434 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. EAGLES, D. P. CARSON, A. BEGG, and S. A. NAJI Suicide prevention: a study of patients' views The British Journal of Psychiatry, March 1, 2003; 182(3): 261 - 265. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Sinclair and D. Baldwin Discharging psychiatric patients from hospital Psychiatr. Bull., November 1, 2002; 26(11): 436 - 436. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. NORDENTOFT, P. JEPPESEN, M. ABEL, P. KASSOW, L. PETERSEN, A. THORUP, G. KRARUP, R. HEMMINGSEN, and P. JORGENSEN OPUS study: suicidal behaviour, suicidal ideation and hopelessness among patients with first-episode psychosis: One-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial The British Journal of Psychiatry, September 1, 2002; 181 (43): s98 - s106. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Walker and J. M. Eagles Discharging psychiatric patients from hospital Psychiatr. Bull., July 1, 2002; 26(7): 241 - 242. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. A. KING, D. S. BALDWIN, J. M. A. SINCLAIR, and M. J. CAMPBELL The Wessex Recent In-Patient Suicide Study, 2: Case--control study of 59 in-patient suicides The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2001; 178(6): 537 - 542. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]