Suicidal Risk Factors and Completed Suicide: Meta-Analyses Based on Psychological Autopsy Studies

This review evaluated the effects of common risk factors for suicide by meta-analyses using data extracted from studies based on the psychological autopsy method. 5 common risk factors – substance-related disorders, mood disorders, adverse marital status, adverse employment status, & self-harm behaviours – were studied. A total of 24 articles were identified in which the crude odds ratio could be calculated for these risk factors. Overall, both substance-related disorders & mood disorders were strongly associated with suicidal risk. Effects of social factors such as adverse marital & employment status were relatively small. (48 refs.)