Evaluation of Attempted Suicides: a Comparative Study of the Staff in a General Hospital and Consulting Staff in a Psychiatric Hospital

Conducted a study to determine whether 53 medical staff in a hospital emergency dept. in Finland would assess attempted suicides differently than 30 staff members in a psychiatry dept. 4 individuals who had attempted suicide were interviewed. Evaulations were based on degree of somatic severity, degree of intent to die, intensity of psychiatric aftercare & whether or not the suicide attempt was a rational act. Generally the staff in the psychiatric hospital were more careful in their assessment.