Prevalence of and risk factors for suicide attempts among patients with severe psychiatric disorders in Eastern Morocco

Background: Suicide attempts are common in patients with severe psychiatric disorders; however, they are rarely studied in this population. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with suicide attempts among patients with severe psychiatric disorders. Method: This is a cross-sectional study of patients admitted to the Mohammed VI University Hospital of Psychiatry in Oujda, Morocco. Results: A total of 250 patients with a psychiatric disorder were recruited in this study. Among these, 78 cases (31.2%) had a personal history of suicide attempts. A personal history of suicide attempt was significantly higher among women compared to men (45.5% vs. 27.2%, p = .0099). The most common method of suicide attempts was jumping from heights (31%). Patients with a personal history of suicide attempts had a significantly higher prevalence of alcohol consumption (p = .0063), family history of psychiatric disorders (p = .002), family history of suicide attempt (p = .00004), and family history of suicide (p = .018) compared to those who had never made suicide attempts. Limitations: As suicidal behavior is highly stigmatized in Morocco, the number of patients who have made a suicide attempt may be underestimated. Conclusion: Our findings justify the need to provide specialized support to psychiatric patients with risk factors for suicide attempts.