Citation

Kasesnik K, Pecar-Cad S, Marusic A. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 80-81.

Affiliation

Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, Trubarjeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. karin.kasesnik@ivz-rs.si.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16963992

Abstract

Our aim was to compare a recent history of prescribed medication (quantitatively and qualitatively) in suicide completers with the same indicator for the whole population. This retrospective study was based on the records of all 562 suicides (122 women) committed among the residents of Slovenia in the year 2003. Statistics for suicide have been linked to the database of out-patients prescriptions in 2002. Results indicated that 75% (420 out of 562; 91% women and 70% men) had at least one prescription filled at a pharmacy a year prior to suicide. Overall, these 420 suicide (111 women) completers had 7007 prescriptions in 2002 (women: 2232). The nervous system drugs were significantly more frequently taken by suicides completers compared to the whole population (412 vs. 79 per 100 men; 788 vs. 136 per 100 women). We also noticed that both male and female suicide completers took significantly more drugs from the following drug groups: cardiovascular system, alimentary tract and metabolism group. Women suicide completers only took significantly more drugs from musculo-skeletal system. These findings could well be implicated in suicide prevention strategies, especially those aimed at the health care system.

Language: en