ng suicide include a majority of affective illnesses, with high rates of patients with schizophrenia and personality disorders. Research by the National Suicide Prevention Project (a study of 1397 suicides) examined mental disorders among suicide victims and treatment received prior to death. Depressive syndromes (66 percent) and alcohol dependence/abuse (43 percent) were the most prevalent. Major depression was higher among women than men and as a principal diagnosis it was more common among the elderly suicides. For adolescent victims, depressive syndromes were also the most prevalent; adjustment disorders were common as well (25 percent). Most suicide victims of all ages suffered from comorbid mental disorders and for those having contact with a health center prior to dear, inadequacy of treatment for mental disorders was common. Only three percent of the major depressive victims received adequate psychopharmacological treatment and seven percent received weekly psychotherapy by a trained therapist (Lloyd, 1995; & Lonngvist, Henriksson, Isometsa, Marttunen, Heikkinen, Aro, & Kuoppasalmi, 1995).
Most patients use violent methods for increased risk or inevitable death. Poisoning by drug overdose or toxic substances is uncommon relative to total population of suicides. Therefore the availability of a lethal method nearby is important. Studies show a female preponderance with a majority receiving previous inpatient treatment and previous suicide attempts (Lloyd, 1995).
Factors that may be associated with suicide include available method, inadequate surveillance, lack of intensive care, underestimates of suicide risk, and poor doctor-nurse communication. Local danger areas for each hospital need to be known by the experienced staff. Inadequate hospital facilities increase risks for suicide. Wards in which patients cannot be observed easily from the nursing station with an inability to nurse patients in an intensive c...