Long-Term Suicide Risk of Depression in the Lundby Cohort 1947-1997 – Severity and Gender

The long-term suicide risk in depression was evaluated in a community sample. The Lundby study is a prospective,longitudinal cohort study of a 3,563 subjects. In 1947-1997 medium or severe depression according to the Lundby diagnostic system was registered in 503 subjects. The same subjects were also diagnosed according to the DSM-IV, showing major depressive disorders in 293 & depressive disorder not otherwise specified in 131 subjects. The overall long-term suicide risk varied from 5.6% to 6.8%. The long-term suicide risk was 3.1% for medium & 11.4% for severe “Lundby” depression, 3.7% for medium & 13.8% for severe major depressive disorder and depressive disorder not otherwise specified, & 3.1% for medium & 13.7% for severe major depressive disorder. Severity & male gender were risk factors for suicide. (42 refs)