TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Patients committing suicide whilst under the care of the elderly suicide prevention programme of a regional hospital in Hong Kong
JO  - East Asian archives of psychiatry
A1  - Wong, M. M. C.
A1  - Tsui, C. F.
A1  - Li, S. W.
A1  - Chan, C. F.
A1  - Lau, Y. M.
SP  - 17
EP  - 21
VL  - 21
IS  - 1
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the risk factors for suicide in elderly Hong Kong Chinese. METHODS: Case notes, mortality reports and hospital records of all the patients, who committed suicide from 1 July 2002 to 31 March 2010 whilst under the active care of the Elderly Suicide Prevention Programme of the Castle Peak Hospital in Hong Kong, were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 1230 elderly with high risk of suicide were assessed and treated from 1 July 2002 to March 2010. A total of 8 patients in this programme who committed suicide during this period were identified, of whom 63% were male and the most frequent method employed was jumping from a height. All the suicides ensued within the first 6 weeks of treatment under the programme. All these patients were diagnosed to have a depressive illness, and all but 1 had an associated physical illness that possibly precipitated the suicide. They had all been admitted to either a mental or general hospital, about 1 month before committing suicide. CONCLUSIONS: The first 2 months of treatment is associated with the highest risk of suicide. Intensive care and support with proper education about effects of antidepressants, and the building-up of a trusted therapeutic alliance with close relatives are particularly important in this vulnerable period.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2078-9947
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -