An investigation of 16,938 medicolegal autopsy cases in Sweden over 5 years showed positive results of HIV analyses in 85 deaths; 21 of these deaths were suicides. The number & proportion of suicides among HIV-positive homosexual & bisexual males increased during the study period but remained unchanged for infected iv drug addicts. 6 of 12 homosexual & bisexual males who committed suicide were of non-Swedish origin who were likely to have a less stable social network. (22 refs.)