The Prospectively Observed Course of Illness Among Depressed Patients who Committ Suicide

These analyses were conducted to describe the course of illness among patients with major affective disorders who commit suicide. 29 patients who entered a follow-up study of major affective disorders & who later committed suicide within 1 year of their last interview were matched to other patients by age, sex, the presence or absence of lifetime drug or alcohol abuse, time to last interview & polarity. Among the various measures used to characterize the course of illness, suicidal behaviour itself was the clearest correlate of risk for completed suicide. (20 refs)