scholarly journals Suicide in female nurses in England and Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. HAWTON ◽  
S. SIMKIN ◽  
J. RUE ◽  
C. HAW ◽  
F. BARBOUR ◽  
...  

Background. Female nurses appear to have an increased risk of suicide but the reasons are unknown.Method. We have concluded a study of nurse suicides (N = 106) in England and Wales, including a psychological autopsy study (N = 42) and case–control comparison with living nurses (N = 84).Results. Nearly three-quarters of the nurse suicides had previous contact with psychiatric services and almost half had been psychiatric in-patients in the past. There were particularly marked differences between the cases and controls for current psychiatric disorder (90·5% v. 7·1%, OR = 68·5), personality disorder (38·1% v. 1·2%, OR = 32), and history of deliberate self-harm (71·4% v. 2· 4%, OR = 58·5). Family background and social factors (especially concerning interpersonal relationships) also distinguished the two groups. Smoking and serious alcohol abuse were much more frequent in the suicides. There was some indication that while many of the suicides were in contact with psychiatric services, care may not have been optimal in some cases.Conclusions. The most important strategies for suicide prevention in nurses are in prevention, detection and management of psychiatric disorders. In assessing suicide risk a history of DSH and the presence of comorbid psychiatric and personality disorders are particularly important.

1998 ◽  
Vol 173 (6) ◽  
pp. 531-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erkki T. Isometsä ◽  
Jouko K. Lönnqvist

BackgroundThis study investigated three questions with major implications for suicide prevention: the sensitivity of the history of previous suicide attempt(s) as an indicator of suicide risk, the time interval from a preceding suicide attempt to the fatal one, and switching of suicide methods by those eventually completing suicide.MethodThe lifetime history of suicide attempts and the methods the victims (n=1397) used were examined in a nationwide psychological autopsy study comprising all suicides in Finland within a 12-month research period in 1987–1988.ResultsOverall, 56% of suicide victims were found to have died at their first suicide attempt, more males (62%) than females (38%). In 19% of males and 39% of females the victim had made a non-fatal attempt during the final year. Of the victims with previous attempts, 82% had used at least two different methods in their suicide attempts (the fatal included).ConclusionsMost male and a substantial proportion of female suicides die in their first suicide attempt, a fact that necessitates early recognition of suicide risk, particularly among males. Recognition of periods of high suicide risk on the grounds of recent non-fatal suicide attempts is likely to be important for suicide prevention among females. Subjects completing suicide commonly switch from one suicide method to another, a finding that weakens but does not negate the credibility of restrictions on the availability of lethal methods as a preventive measure.


Death Studies ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 549-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette L. Rasmussen ◽  
Hanne Haavind ◽  
Gudrun Dieserud ◽  
Kari Dyregrov

1998 ◽  
Vol 173 (4) ◽  
pp. 330-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannele Heilä ◽  
Erkki T. Isometsä ◽  
Markus M. Henriksson ◽  
Marti E. Heikkinen ◽  
Mauri J. Marttunen ◽  
...  

BackgroundSuicides among people with schizophrenia are commonly believed to be impulsive and to occur unexpectedly.MethodAs part of the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland, a nationwide psychological autopsy study, suicide victims with DSM-III-R schizophrenia (n=86; n=64 in the active illness phase) and others (n=1 109; n=666 without any evidence for psychosis) were compared for communication of suicidal intent (CSI), as well as previous suicide attempts known by the next of kin and/or an attending health care professional during the latest treatment relationship.ResultsMore victims with schizophrenia (84%) had a history of previous CSI, and/or had made previous suicide attempt(s) than others (70%). Also, victims with active illness schizophrenia (56%) had more CSI and/or had made suicide attempts during their last three months than victims with no psychosis (41%).ConclusionsCSI and/or suicide attempts occur at least as often in people with schizophrenia as in those without schizophrenia, even in the active phase of the illness.


2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Lyberg Rasmussen ◽  
Kari Dyregrov ◽  
Hanne Haavind ◽  
Antoon A. Leenaars ◽  
Gudrun Dieserud

This study explores self-esteem in suicide among young males with no earlier history of suicide attempt(s) or treatment in mental health services. The data come from an ongoing psychological autopsy study; 10 cases of young men aged 18 to 30, were selected to generate a phenomenologically based understanding of the psychological mechanisms and processes involved in the suicidal process. The analyses are based on in-depth interviews with 61 closely connected individuals, as well as suicide notes. We used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. For these young men, the transition to young adulthood, a period of major life challenges, seemed to be associated with personal defeats. According to their significant others, the deceased seemed to have experienced intolerable discrepancies between their actual performances and their ideal self standards. Four themes emerged from the analysis: (a) striving to find a viable path to life as an adult man; (b) experiencing a sense of failure according to own standards; (c) emotional self-restriction in relationships; and (d) strong feelings of loneliness and rejection of self. Improved understanding of suicides outside the mental illness paradigm may have important implications for preventive strategies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvin Kiamanesh ◽  
Kari Dyregrov ◽  
Hanne Haavind ◽  
Gudrun Dieserud

This study explores suicide in relation to perfectionism among individuals who died by suicide with no history of treatment in mental health care or of suicide attempts. The study is part of an ongoing psychological autopsy study (PA-study). It aimed to produce a phenomenological understanding of the dynamics/processes from perfectionism to suicide among 6 men aged 22 to 58. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the interview data of 41 key informants. Based on the informants' narratives, it seemed that perfectionism left these men less able to cope with their (self-perceived) inability to meet their high expectations. Four themes emerged from analysis: 1) striving for success; 2) fear of failure; 3) keeping up the facade; and 4) rigidity. The results may be important in the prevention of nonclinical suicides, a group that is particularly difficult to identify, especially if the deceased have been regarded as very successful in many areas.


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11801
Author(s):  
Yunfang Zhou ◽  
Zhenyu Ma ◽  
Cun-Xian Jia ◽  
Liang Zhou

Background The relationship between impulsivity and suicide is inconsistent in different populations. Hence, the relationship between impulsivity and suicide still needs to be studied among the elderly population. The present study intends to explore the relationship between impulsivity and suicide among the rural Chinese elderly. Methods A case-control psychological autopsy study was conducted from February 1, 2014 to December 18, 2015 among rural residents over the age of 60 who died by suicide. The sample consisted of 242 suicides as the case group and 242 living individuals as the control group. Data on demographic characteristics, impulsivity, previous history of suicide attempts, social support, negative life events, and suicidal behavior were collected. Results Our study found that impulsivity increased the risk of suicide. The case group showed a higher Barratt Impulsiveness Scale score compared with the control group (p < 0.001), which indicates that impulsivity was higher among the elderly suicides. In addition, regression analyses show that impulsivity (odds ratio: 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.06) is an independent risk factor of suicide, after controlling for the effects of marital status, education, family annual income, being left behind, social support, and negative life events. Finally, compared with elderly who do not have a history of attempted suicide, elderly with a history of attempted suicide showed higher impulsivity (p = 0.001).


2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Shaw ◽  
Isabelle M. Hunt ◽  
Sandra Flynn ◽  
Janet Meehan ◽  
Jo Robinson ◽  
...  

BackgroundPrevious studies of people convicted of homicide have used different definitions of mental disorder.AimsTo estimate the rate of mental disorder in people convicted of homicide; to examine the relationship between definitions, verdict and outcome in court.MethodA national clinical survey of people convicted of homicide (n=1594) in England and Wales (1996–1999). Rates of mental disorder were estimated based on: lifetime diagnosis, mental illness at the time of the offence, contact with psychiatric services, diminished responsibility verdict and hospital disposal.ResultsOf the 1594, 545 (34%) had a mental disorder: most had not attended psychiatric services; 85 (5%) had schizophrenia (lifetime); 164 (10%) had symptoms of mental illness at the time of the offence; 149 (9%) received a diminished responsibility verdict and 111 (7%) a hospital disposal – both were associated with severe mental illness and symptoms of psychosis.ConclusionsThe findings suggest an association between schizophrenia and conviction for homicide. Most perpetrators with a history of mental disorder were not acutely ill or under mental healthcare at the time of the offence. Some perpetrators receive prison sentences despite having severe mental illness.


2001 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 539-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. T. WILMSHURST ◽  
M. J. PEARSON ◽  
K. P. WALSH ◽  
W. L. MORRISON ◽  
P. BRYSON

The presence of a large right-to-left shunt is associated with neurological decompression illness after non-provocative dives, as a result of paradoxical gas embolism. A small number of observations suggest that cutaneous decompression illness is also associated with a right-to-left shunt, although an embolic aetiology of a diffuse rash is more difficult to explain. We performed a retrospective case–control comparison of the prevalence and sizes of right-to-left shunts determined by contrast echocardiography performed blind to history in 60 divers and one caisson worker with a history of cutaneous decompression illness, and 123 historical control divers. We found that 47 (77.0%) of the 61 cases with cutaneous decompression illness had a shunt, compared with 34 (27.6%) of 123 control divers (P< 0.001). The size of the shunts in the divers with cutaneous decompression illness was significantly greater than in the controls. Thus 30 (49.2%) of the 61 cases with cutaneous decompression illness had a large shunt at rest, compared with six (4.9%) of the 123 controls (P< 0.001). During closure procedures in 17 divers who had cutaneous decompression illness, the mean diameter of the foramen ovale was 10.9 mm. Cutaneous decompression illness occurred after dives that were provocative or deep in subjects without shunts, but after shallower and non-provocative dives in those with shunts. The latter individuals are at increased risk of neurological decompression illness. We conclude that cutaneous decompression illness has two pathophysiological mechanisms. It is usually associated with a large right-to-left shunt, when the mechanism is likely to be paradoxical gas embolism with peripheral amplification when bubble emboli invade tissues supersaturated with nitrogen. Cutaneous decompression illness can also occur in individuals without a shunt. In these subjects, the mechanism might be bubble emboli passing through an ‘overloaded’ lung filter or autochthonous bubble formation.


Crisis ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Sorri ◽  
M Henriksson ◽  
J Lönnqvist

Using data from a nationwide psychological autopsy study of all suicides in Finland occurring over a 1-year period, the authors investigated religiosity and its types among suicide victims. Overt active religiosity was identified in 245 (18%) of the victims. A history of psychiatric inpatient treatment and psychotic and depressive disorders diagnosed in psychiatric care were more common among the religious victims than among the nonreligious. The burden of major mental disorders seems to have been heavier among religious than nonreligious victims. The type of religiosity of victims was qualitatively characterized into four categories: (1) help-seeking from a religious congregation, (2) conflict with a religious congregation, (3) private religiosity, and (4) abandoned religiosity. Further research needs to address the psychological contents and psychiatric implications of different types of religiosity among suicidal individuals.


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