Communication of Suicidal Intent and Suicide in Unipolar Depression: a Forty Year Follow Up

225 unipolar depressives hospitalized during the 1930s were classified on the basis of documented communication of suicidal intent. A long-term follow-up indicated that 15 of the former patients had died by suicide. Communicated suicidal intent was documented in the index hospital record of all 15. The presence of communicated intent may distinguish a group of unipolar depressives at risk for suicide from those not at risk.