Determinants and Outcomes of Serious Attempted Suicide: A Nationwide Study in Finland, 1996-2003

Abstract

Suicide is among the 10 leading causes of death. Attempted suicide is 10–40 times more frequent than completed suicide and is the strongest single predictor of subsequent suicide. The current study population included all persons in Finland who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of attempted suicide between 1996 and 2003 (N = 18,199). Information on background variables and mortality was obtained by register linkage. The risk of repeated attempted suicide was 30% and the risk of suicide was 10%. The risks of repeated attempted suicide, completed suicide, and death from any cause were high immediately after discharge from the hospital. Analysis of competing causes of death revealed that while alcohol-related disorder was not associated with suicide, it markedly increased the risk of other violent death: The subdistribution hazards rate (SHR) was 2.61 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.12, 3.21). Schizophrenia-related disorders (SHR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.57, 2.21) and mood disorders (SHR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.47, 2.01) were associated with the risk of suicide. The risks of suicide and all-cause mortality were extremely high immediately after hospitalization for attempted suicide.