Characteristics and Six-Month Outcome of Patients who use Suicide Threats to Seek Hospital Admission

A review of patient records was used to collect data on 45 patients who made suicide threats to increase the likelihood of hospital admission, & 92 patients who did not make such threats. Patients who made suicide threats were more likely to be substance dependent, antisocial, homeless, unmarried & in legal difficulty. Subsequent suicide attempts were uncommon in both groups. It is suggested that hospitalization should not be used as a substitute to resolve a patient’s social & legal problems.