Abstract
Suicide and Mental Illness in Parents and Risk of Suicide in Offspring: a Birth Cohort Study
Sorensen H J~~Mortensen E L~~et al
The risk of offspring suicide was examined in relation to parental history of suicide & other risk factors. 7177 adult offspring born 1959-1961 & their parents from the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort were studied. 48 cohort members, 77 mothers & 133 fathers had died by suicide during the follow-up. Independent of parental psychiatric illness & social status, parental suicide significantly increased suicide risk in offspring. A stronger effect of parental suicide was observed in offspring without a history of psychiatric hospitalization. (20 refs.) JA