Analysis of psycho-sociodemographic features in referred male psychiatric patients with suicidal ideation

Abstract

Abstract Suicide is defined by the World Health Organization as an act in which an individual ends his or her own life. Suicidal behavior is a major public health problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, the global suicide rate is 10,5/100.000 – 13,5/100.000 in case of men and 7,7/100 000 in case of women and is the 2nd most common cause of violent death. Suicide is a multifactorial phenomenon that can be approached from different perspectives. In Romania, this rate is similar to the global rate: in 2016, the estimated suicide rate was 10.4/100,000, well below the European average. Suicide rates vary by region, age group, gender, ethnicity, and registration of mortality statistics. The aim of the present study is to investigate the psycho-socio-demographic indicators of a cohort of patients with suicidal thoughts emergency referred to a particular psychiatric ward in one year. In our research, we performed a case-control, analytical, randomized, observational study at the Clinical Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry Brasov among adult psychiatric patients admitted during 2014. The following data on patients were processed: demographic data (age, gender, place of residence), psychosocial data (social background, marital status, education), chronic somatic comorbidities, family history of psychiatric illness, pre-existing psychiatric illnesses, previous suicide attempts and their characteristics. The risk of suicide was assessed by the Modified Scale for Suicide Ideation - Miller et al. Questionnaire and distinguished 3 categories. In our sample of 77 cases we identified 14 patients with low suicide risk, 17 with moderate risk and 46 with high suicide risk. The focus of our study was on suicidal behavior. Suicide attempt, as a complex clinical problem with a waste complexity of ethiology, has high demands on psychiatric care. Being familiar with the different psycho-socio-demographic profiles by gender is proved to be a useful tool in both “screening” and in subsequent case management. These principles can facilitate decision-making, can increase adherence to treatment, and reduce the risk of repetitive attempts.