Behavioral and Demographic Predictors of Suicide After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

To determine if individual characteristics & behaviours present during rehabilitation can identify patients at risk for suicide, the records of 5200 spinal cord injury patients were reviewed. Of 489 deaths, 9% were due to suicide. When demographic predictors identified in the scientific literature were combined with specific behavioural characteristics manifested during rehabilitation, a clinical model for the prediction of suicide was made possible. (24 refs.)