Schizophrenia and Suicide: A 10-Year Review of Kentucky Medical Examiner Cases

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 930 - 937
• Main Authors: Shields, Lisa B.E., Hunsaker, Donna M., Hunsaker III, John C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2007; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Criminal investigations; Drug Overdose; Female; firearms; forensic pathology; forensic science; Forensic sciences; Forensic Sciences - methods; Humans; Kentucky - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Physical examinations; Retrospective Studies; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - epidemiology; Seasons; suicide; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Wounds, Gunshot; Kentucky

:  The risk of suicide is significantly increased in schizophrenics; it is estimated that 10–13% of individuals suffering from schizophrenia commit suicide. Schizophrenia is marked by psychotic exacerbations and remissions, with persistent deterioration in baseline functioning with each relapse. We...