Year: 2009 Source: Psychiatric Services, v.60, no.8, (August 2009), p.1135-1138 SIEC No: 20100646

This study determined the population-attributable risk of completed suicide among Hong Kong Chinese with axis I psychiatric diagnoses. With a case-control psychological autopsy method, 150 suicide victims, age 15-59, were compared for axis I diagnoses & psychosocial variables with 150 randomly selected age- & gender-matched persons living in the community. In the presence of other non-disease related social risk factors, past suicide attempt independently accounted for 44% of the population-attributable risk of suicide, followed by current major depressive disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, & substance use disorder or pathological gambling. Mental health policies should be refined to target clinical groups at high risk of suicide. (15 refs.) JA