Citation

Bongar B, Peterson LG, Golann S, Hardiman JJ. Ann. Clin. Psychiatry 1990; 2(3): 217-222.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists)

DOI

10.3109/10401239009147947

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A retrospective chart review examined the records of all patients (n = 1580) seen in the emergency mental health service at a major teaching hospital during the time period June 30, 1985, through July 1, 1986. Twenty-four chronically ''suicidal'' patients were identified. Suidicality and chronicity were operationally defined as four or more visits, in which ''suicidal'' behavior was the primary presenting problem during the index year. The diagnostic and demographic characteristics of these patients were compared to a matched ''nonsuicidal'' control group of chronic emergency room visitors. Nineteen out of the 24 chronically ''suicidal'' patients had a history of self-mutilation, whereas none of the control group had any mention of self-mutilation or suicidal behavior in their charts (χ2 = 26.42, df = 1, p < 0.01). These 24 ''suicidal'' patients, who comprised a little more than 1% of the patients seen that year in the psychiatric emergency service, accounted for over 12% of all psychiatric emergency room visits. Diagnostically, while both groups of patients had considerable DSM III-R Axis I pathology, the ''suicidal'' patients more often carried an Axis II diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (11 of 24; controls only 1 of 21; χ2 = 93.88, df = 1, p = 0.01). At 36-month follow-up, none of the 24 chronically ''suicidal'' patients (or the 21 controls) had committed suicide or died by another cause.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; suicidal behavior; article; major clinical study; psychological aspect; personality disorder; automutilation; borderline state; chronicity