Cavanagh, Jonathan Thomas Ogilvie

2018-01-31T11:41:15Z

2018-01-31T11:41:15Z

2000

Mental disorders are major risk factors for suicide. Not all those who suffer from them kill themselves. Additional information is required to differentiate higher from lesser risk patients.

Cases and controls did not differ in any significant way with respect to severity of mental disorder. The main factors independently associated with undetermined death or suicide were:- a history of deliberate self harm (adjusted OR 4.1) physical ill health ( adjusted OR 7.8) treatment of whatever kind by mental health services (adjusted OR 0.01). Other antecedents associated with increased risk (criminal record, involvement with police, financial problems and failure to vote) and those associated with decreased risk (contact with a doctor and in- patient care) did not exert effects after controlling for confounding.

Controls were receiving more care of whatever kind. Treatment of mental disorder comorbid with physical illness and a a history of deliberate self harm may be especially important. Factors which separate those with mental disorder at high risk from those at lesser risk relate to care levels provided, which may be a function of engagement by and with health services. The role of mental health professionals is beneficial in suicide prevention. The focusing of that role toward engaging alienated or "difficult" patients should be addressed.

http://hdl.handle.net/1842/27769

The University of Edinburgh

Annexe Thesis Digitisation Project 2017 Block 16

Already catalogued

Suicide and undetermined death in South East Scotland: a case-control study using the psychological autopsy method

Thesis or Dissertation

MD Doctor of Medicine