Using case-control methodology, risk factors for suicidal behaviour were examined in 202 individuals who died by suicide, 275 individuals who made medically serious suicide attempts, & 984 randomly selected control subjects. Multiple logistic regression identified risk factors that were common to suicide & serious suicide attempts, including: current mood disorder; previous suicide attempts; prior outpatient psychiatric treatment; admission to pscyhiatric hospital within the previous year; low income; a lack of formal education; exposure to recent stressful interpersonal, legal, & work-related life events. The 2 groups were overlapping populations that share common psychiatric diagnostic & history features, but are distinguished by gender & patterning of psychiatric disorder.