All suicides committed in Finland in 1987-88 (n=1397) were recorded & analysed with the psychological autopsy method. Definition of suicide was based on forensic examination. Data was obtained from interviews, records, & investigations. 18% of suicides were discharged from a psychiatric hospital during the year before suicide; the median interval was 63 days. This accords with Goldacre’s finding ((SIEC AN 930837) that suicides after hospital discharge cluster in the early post-discharge period.