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Suicide in Psychiatric In-Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. B. Copas  and
Ashley Robin
J. B. Copas
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, University of Birmingham
Ashley Robin
Affiliation:
Southend District Hospitals; 46 Harcourt Terrace, London SW10
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Summary

Suicide risks for psychiatric hospital in-patients may be described by empirical relationships that take account of sex, length of admission and diagnosis. Risks are highest in males, in the first week of admission, and in depressed patients. Hospital suicide rates do not follow the same pattern as those for the general population and it is suggested that this effect may be the result of current selection procedures. The standard mortality ratio, which compares hospital with general population suicides, has remained unchanged over fifty years.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 141 , Issue 5 , November 1982 , pp. 503 - 511
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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