Suicide in current psychiatric in-patients: A case-control study: The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide

Abstract

Background: Few controlled studies have investigated factors associated with suicide in current in-patients. We aimed to identify psychosocial, behavioural and clinical risk factors, including variations in care, for in-patient suicide. Method: We conducted a national population-based case-control study of people who died by suicide between 1 April 1999 and 31 December 2000 while in psychiatric in-patient care in England. Cases were 222 adult mental health in-patients who died by suicide matched on date of death with 222 living controls. Results: Nearly a quarter of suicides took place within the first week of admission; most of these died on the ward or after absconding. After the first wee..