Showing papers on "Suicide attempt published in 1970"

Further suicidal behaviour: the development and validation of predictive scales.

Abstract: 1. Data collected between June 1962 and June 1963 on 511 patients admitted to hospital after a suicide attempt were used to construct scales which discriminated between patients who were readmitted or who commited suicide within three years of their key admission (repeaters) and the remainder of the group. 2 Twenty-five per cent of the original group were repeaters; 3.3 per cent committed suicide within the three-year period. 3. Predictive scales were constructed separately for each sex, one point being allocated for each unfavourable item present. The scale for men consisted of three items: alcoholism, alcohol at time of suicidal act, violence. The female scale consisted of seven items: (1) previous attempted suicide (2) previous psychiatric treatment (3) psychopathy (4) drug addiction (5) dwelling mobility (6) father absent when patient under 10 years (7) mother absent when patient under 10 years. 4. The scores were grouped in low, medium and high risk categories. Males had a probability of repetition of 13 per cent in the low risk group, 32 per cent (medium risk), 57 per cent (high risk). The probabilities for women were 8 per cent (low risk), 31 per cent (medium risk), 56 per cent (high risk). 5. The scales were also found to distinguish low, medium and high risk groups over a period of one calendar year. 6. Validation of the scales was carried out on patients admitted after a suicidal attempt in 1967 and followed up for one calendar year. The female scale was shown to be predictive for 1967 patients; the scale for men was not valid at this later date.

The serious suicide attempt: epidemiological and follow-up study of 886 patients.

Abstract: Of 886 patients in Edinburgh who attempted suicide, 21 percent made serious attempts and 79 percent nonserious attempts. One-year follow-up revealed that patients making serious attempts had more than twice the suicide rate of the other group. The author feels that patients with depression or insomnia, or both, plus three or more other high-risk signs—older than 40 years; married; recently separated; widowed, retired, or living alone; middle class; good employment record—should be taken seriously, treated, and hospitalized if necessary.

Suicide attempt by a 10-year-old after quadruple amputations.

Abstract: A 10-year-old boy who underwent quadruple amputation for Waterhouse-Friderichsen's syndrome attempted suicide. The attempt followed a 48-hour period immediately after surgical removal of his last remaining extremity. The failure of attending and house staff to visit and reassure the boy during this time was a direct manifestation of continuous interservice discord concerning the amputations.