Unexpected Death of Psychiatric Patients: Suicide, Misadventure, Accident or Unsolved Mystery?

The authors examined the association between the psychiatric history of patients who were the subjects of a coroner’s inquest & the recorded verdict, in a 7-year retrospective review. A suicide verdict was less frequently returned on patients who had inpatient psychiatric treatment compared to other unexpected deaths. History & diagnosis of an alcohol-related condition, method of death, & intimation of intent were the main factors that appeared to be associated with the coroner’s verdict. Age, sex, duration of illness, time & number of admissions, previous suicide attempts, & treatment received did not appear to be significantly associated with the recorded verdict. (5 refs.)