Suicide Risk in Relation to Family History of Completed Suicide and Psychiatric Disorders: a Nested Case-control Study Based on Longitudinal Registers

A nested-case control study using data from Danish longitudinal registers was used to assess whether family history of death by suicide & mental illness, that results in admission to hospital, are risk factors for suicide, & whether these factors interact. In the study 4262 people were used who died by suicide from ages 9-45 between 1981-1997. The results found that death by suicide & psychiatric illness in relatives are risk factors for suicide, & the effect of family suicide history is independent of the familial cluster of mental disorders. (LC) (30 refs)