Suicide Rate in Schizophrenia in the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort

Data were collected for 10,934 individuals alive in Finland at the age of 16 from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort. The Finnish Hospital Discharge Register was used until the end of 1997 to identify cases with mental disorder. 100 subjects met criteria for schizophrenia. Deaths by the end of 2005 were ascertained from death certificates. 7 suicides accounted for 50% of all deaths in individuals, ages 16-39. Seven subjects with schizophrenia died by suicide; the suicide rate was 2.9% for women & 9.2% for men. 71% of suicides in schizophrenia occurred during the first 3 years after onset of illness. (19 refs.) JA