The burden of a general medical clinic with patients after suicide attempts

All 125 patients who entered the "suicide ward" of the Medical Department of a large public hospital during 1974 were analyzed according to age and sex distribution, duration of hospital stay, motivation and method of committing suicide and fate after recovering from the acute phase of int...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSchweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift Vol. 106; no. 49; p. 1756
Main Authors Osterwalder, R, Uffer, G A, Senn, H J
Format Journal Article
LanguageGerman
Published Switzerland 04.12.1976
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Alcoholic Intoxication
Analgesics, Opioid - poisoning
Depression
Female
Hospitals, General
Humans
Hypnotics and Sedatives - poisoning
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Middle Aged
Psychotherapy
Substance-Related Disorders
Suicide, Attempted - etiology
Suicide, Attempted - therapy
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Summary:All 125 patients who entered the "suicide ward" of the Medical Department of a large public hospital during 1974 were analyzed according to age and sex distribution, duration of hospital stay, motivation and method of committing suicide and fate after recovering from the acute phase of intoxication. Motivation to commit suicide was mainly due to conflicting interpersonal relations. Suicide attempts were 3 times more frequent in women than in men. 49% of all suicide attempts were considered to be of the "cry for help" variety and 29% were classified as obviously ineffective but serious attempts of self-killing. The remaining 22% of patients wanted to mark a "caesura" in their lives. Since the early phase of recovery is of utmost importance for the patient's future, medical and nursing staff have to be trained and experienced in coping with the suicide patient's numerous problems. The permanent collaboration of an experienced psychiatrist within the staff of larger acute-phase hospitals is highly desirable in order to analyze the underlying social and medical problems, assess the danger of a renewed suicide attempt, start early and appropriate therapy and train hospital staff and nurses.
ISSN:0036-7672