Suicide and Other Causes of Death in a Five-Year Follow-Up of Patients Treated for Self-Poisoning in Oslo

934 self-poisoning patients were followed-up 5 years after being discharged from medical departments in Oslo in 1980. 17% of the poisonings had been considered suicide attempts. Mortality rate in the follow-up period was 13%. The most common cause of death was suicide, affecting 36% of females & 24% of males. Other causes of death included opiate abuse. Being male & over 50 years of age predicted death. Suicidal motives for self-poisoning was associated with suicide within 5 years. (23 refs.)