Method of Attempted Suicide as Predictor of Subsequent Successful Suicide: National Long Term Cohort Study

The assocation between method of attempted sucide & risk of subsequent suicide was studied in a Swedish cohort followed up for 21-31 years. 48,649 individuals admitted to hospital in 1973-1982 afet attempted suicide were included. 5,740 individuals died by suicide during the follow-up, 1973-2003. The risk of suicide varied substantially according to the method used at the index attempt. Individuals who had attempted suicide by hanging, strangulation or suffocation had the worst prognosis. Most of those who died used the same method as they did in their index attempt. The method used for a suicide attempt predicted later suicide, after adjustment for sociodemographic confounding & psychiatric disorder. (34 refs.) JA