A case-control study of 92 cases of in-patient suicides

BACKGROUND: A significant number of patients committed suicide while receiving in-patient treatment in psychiatric hospitals. Most previous studies on psychiatric in-patient suicides were conducted in the West. This study aimed to describe the characteristics and identify risk factors of suicides occurring during psychiatric in-patient care in Hong Kong. METHOD: The case record data of suicide cases (Coroner's verdicts of suicides and undetermined deaths) from all public psychiatric hospitals in the entire region within a 3 years' period (N=93) were compared with matched controls. RESULTS: In-patient suicide rate was 269/100,000 admissions. Majority had schizophrenia. Suicide usually occurred after the first month of admission, during leave, and by jump from heights. There were little case-control differences in treatment received. Multiple conditional logistic regression found 5 risk factors: previous history of deliberate self-harm (OR=4.60, 95% CI=1.57-13.5); admitted because of suicidal behaviour (OR=3.92, 95% CI=1.3-11.9); depressive symptoms at time of suicide (OR=8.53, 95% CI=1.4-52); away without leave at anytime during index admission (OR=17, 95% CI=1.76-163); and extrapyramidal side effects/akathisia at time of suicide (OR=10.8, 95% CI=1.75-66.7). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective case record review depended on non-standardized and variable quality of case notes entry. Matching for hospitals in this study would make the comparison between hospitals impossible. Although this is the second largest case-control study of psychiatric in-patient suicide, the estimated power suggested subtle risk factors would be missed. CONCLUSION: Majority of in-patient suicides occurred at a time of perceived low risk. A high sensitivity to the risk of suicide and vigorous treatment of depressive symptoms were indicated. The care processes during the index admission could bear strong influences on the risk of in-patient suicides.     

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

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 week, however, most suicides occurred away from the ward, the majority of patients having left the ward with staff agreement. Previous deliberate self-harm, recent adverse life events, symptoms of mental illness at last contact with staff and a co-morbid psychiatric disorder were associated with increased risk for suicide. Being off the ward without staff agreement was a particularly strong predictor. Those patients who were detained for compulsory treatment were less likely to die by suicide. Independent predictors of in-patient suicide were male sex, a primary diagnosis of affective disorder and a history of self-harm. Being unemployed or on long-term sick leave appeared to be independently protective. CONCLUSION: Prevention of in-patient suicide should emphasize adequate treatment of affective disorder, vigilance in the first week of admission and regular risk assessments during recovery and prior to granting leave. Use of compulsory treatment may reduce risk.     

Suicide in recently admitted psychiatric in-patients: A case-control study

BackgroundAround a quarter of in-patient suicides occur within the first week of admission to psychiatric in-patient care. Little is known on the factors associated with suicide during this critical time. We aimed to identify risk factors for suicide among in-patients within the first week of admission.MethodsA national population-based case-control study of 107 current psychiatric in-patients in England who died by suicide within a week of admission, matched on admission date with 107 living controls.ResultsForty-two (40%) suicide cases died within the first 3 day of admission. A fifth of all suicides were on authorised leave at the time of death, but 34% were off the ward without staff agreement compared to only 1% of controls. Independent risk factors for suicide included previous self-harm, recent adverse life events, and a short (<12 months) duration of illness.LimitationsThis is a retrospective study, using clinical data mainly collected from case records. Clinicians were not blind to case/control status.ConclusionsThe first few days of admission should be recognised as the period of highest risk. Careful risk evaluation is needed at this time, particularly in those with recent illness onset or previous suicide attempts. Knowledge of life events experienced before admission should be incorporated into risk assessments. Improvements to the ward environment to lessen the distress of an admission may be an important preventative measure. Protocols may require adapting to improve the safety of those on agreed leave, and prevent absconding through increased vigilance and closer observation of ward exits.     

Season of birth variations in suicide methods in relation to any history of psychiatric contacts support an independent suicidality trait

BACKGROUND: Due to reports on season of birth variations in suicidal behaviour as well as in cerebrospinal fluid levels of monoamine metabolites, we investigated season of birth variations in suicide methods for completed suicides in relation to any history of psychiatric contacts. Relationships with the psychiatric diagnoses for those with psychiatric contacts were also studied. METHODS: Sociodemographic variables and suicide methods were examined for all the 693 suicide victims during 1961-1980 in V?sterbotten, Sweden. Information on any history of psychiatric contacts was obtained from psychiatric in-patient and out-patient records. RESULTS: Gender differences in the choice of suicide method were found in the group without any history of psychiatric contacts, but not in those with such a history. Only those without a history of psychiatric contacts showed season of birth variations for suicide methods -- those born during February to April were significantly more likely, and those born during October to January significantly less likely, to have preferred hanging rather than poisoning or petrol gases. These associations were stronger for the determined suicides, for males, and for urban residence. Suicide victims with a history of psychiatric contacts were significantly younger than those without. LIMITATIONS: No psychological autopsies for those without psychiatric contacts. No information on eventual contacts with general practitioners. No measures of monoamine neurotransmitters were available. CONCLUSIONS: Season of birth association for suicide methods is likely to be mediated by a suicidality trait independently of specific major psychiatric disorders. Monoamine neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin, are likely to underlie such a trait.     

Differences in characteristics between suicide victims who left notes or not

BACKGROUND: Suicide notes (SN) are one of markers of the severity of a suicide attempt and are said to provide a valuable insight into the thinking of suicide victims before the fatal act [Shah, A., De, T., 1998. Suicide and the elderly. Int. J. Psychiat. Clin Pract. 2, 3-18]. To examine whether suicide victims who wrote notes (note writers: NW) differ from those who did not, we investigated the characteristics of a sample of more than 5000 Japanese suicides using multiple logistic regression analysis. METHODS: For all suicide victims (5161 cases), we examined the following information: gender, age, suicide method, reason for suicide, marital status, residential status, history of psychiatric disorders, previous suicidal behavior, physical disease, and content of suicide notes. RESULTS: Mean incidence of NW was 30.1% (male: 29.7%, female: 30.8%). NW in Japan had the following characteristics; higher proportion in female and living alone, suicide by more lethal methods such as carbon monoxide, hanging or sharp instruments. On the other hand, non-NW had tendencies to commit suicide for reasons of physical illness and psychiatric disorder, and/or history of previous psychiatric disorders. LIMITATIONS: This study is observational and discusses only completed, not attempted, suicide. Medical and psychiatric comorbidity are judged only by the history of diagnosis and the information about the problems in relationships is based not on valid criteria for inclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Although these findings show ethnic differences, it is possible that SN may be considered an indicator of a serious suicide attempt. Further studies of SN are needed to confirm this.     

广州市精神病医院50年住院病人自杀危险因素的病例对照研究

目的:识别精神分裂症住院病人自杀的潜在危险因素,为探讨如何进一步预防住院精神病人的自杀提供依据。方法:对广州市精神病医院1956-2005年住院精神病人自杀进行回顾性分析,并对其中的精神分裂症病人按同性别、同诊断、相同或相近年龄、住院进行1:1匹配的病例对照研究。结果:共有77例住院精神病人发生自杀,自杀发生率为133.1/10万(95%CI103.4-162.85/10万)。多数自杀者为精神分裂症病人(64例,占83.1%),多数自杀者采取自缢的方式(59例,占76.6%),多数病人的自杀行为发生在病房内(52例,占67.5%);自杀组的住院次数明显高于对照组(2.13±1.89/1.23±0.75,P=0.001);自杀组本次住院前1月及住院期间的自杀未遂次数明显高于对照组(0.39±0.85/0.09±0.39,0.59±1.52/0.00±0.00,P=0.017,0.003)。自杀组有罪恶观念、心境抑郁者多于对照组(18.8%/3.1%,28.1%/6.3%,P=0.006,0.004);住院精神分裂症病人的罪恶观念、心境抑郁、本次住院前1月有自杀意念和自杀未遂是其自杀行为发生的危险因素(β=2.407、1.566、1.201、1.643)。结论:该院50年住院病人的自杀发生率与国外近似,精神分裂症病人自杀的危险因素是罪恶观念、心境抑郁、住院前1月自杀意念和自杀未遂。     

Relapse in anorexia nervosa: a survival analysis

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about factors that predict relapse in anorexia nervosa (AN) is needed for the development of effective relapse prevention treatments and may also advance understanding of the psychopathology of AN. The aim of the present study was to examine the rate, timing and prediction of relapse in AN following weight restoration in a specialized in-patient treatment programme. METHOD: Fifty-one consecutive first-admission AN patients who were weight-restored following in-patient treatment participated in the study. Follow-up assessments were conducted a median of 15 months post-discharge. Relapse of AN was defined as a body mass index <17.5 for 3 consecutive months. Data were analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression. RESULTS: The overall rate of relapse was 35% and the mean survival time was 18 months. The highest risk period was from 6 to 17 months after discharge. Several significant predictors of relapse were identified: a history of suicide attempt; previous specialized treatment for an eating disorder; severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms at presentation; excessive exercise immediately after discharge; and residual concern about shape and weight at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: There continues to be a significant risk of relapse among AN patients who remain well for the first year post-discharge. Several variables were shown to be associated with an elevated risk of relapse. These findings have implications for the development of initial treatments and relapse prevention strategies for AN.     

Suicide in female nurses in England and Wales

BACKGROUND: Female nurses appear to have an increased risk of suicide but the reasons are unknown. METHOD: We have concluded a study of nurse suicides (N = 106) in England and Wales, including a psychological autopsy study (N = 42) and case-control comparison with living nurses (N = 84). RESULTS: Nearly three-quarters of the nurse suicides had previous contact with psychiatric services and almost half had been psychiatric in-patients in the past. There were particularly marked differences between the cases and controls for current psychiatric disorder (90.5% v. 7.1%, OR = 68.5), personality disorder (38.1% v. 12%, OR = 32), and history of deliberate self-harm (71.4% v. 2.4%, OR = 58.5). Family background and social factors (especially concerning interpersonal relationships) also distinguished the two groups. Smoking and serious alcohol abuse were much more frequent in the suicides. There was some indication that while many of the suicides were in contact with psychiatric services, care may not have been optimal in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: The most important strategies for suicide prevention in nurses are in prevention, detection and management of psychiatric disorders. In assessing suicide risk a history of DSH and the presence of comorbid psychiatric and personality disorders are particularly important.     

Changes in rates of suicide by car exhaust asphyxiation in England and Wales.

BACKGROUND: Self-asphyxiation using car exhaust gas is a common method of suicide in England and Wales, particularly in young males. The introduction of catalytic converters has reduced the toxicity of car exhausts. The main aims of the study were: to seek evidence of a fall in car exhaust suicides in the general population and in age and gender groups; to relate any fall to changes in car exhaust systems, particularly since legislation on car exhaust emissions in 1993; and to examine rates of suicide by other methods for evidence of method substitution. METHODS: Population study in England and Wales using national suicide statistics for 1987 to 1998. RESULTS: There was a fall in suicide by car exhaust asphyxiation in all age and gender groups. This change was most marked after 1993. The overall population suicide rate (all methods) also fell but there was no overall change in suicides by young males or females. In these groups suicide by hanging increased. CONCLUSIONS: Legislation on catalytic converters appears to have contributed to a fall in car exhaust suicides. However, the effect on overall suicide rates in young people has been reduced by method substitution.     

Nightmares and sleep disturbances in relation to suicidality in suicide attempters

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of specific sleep disturbances in suicide attempters and to examine the association between specific sleep disturbances and suicidality. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study in suicide attempters during the period October 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty-five patients aged 18 to 68 years who were admitted to medical units or psychiatric wards at Sahlgrenska University Hospital after a suicide attempt. INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MEASUREMENTS: The face-to-face interview included Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-IV and the Suicide Assessment Scale. Two self-report instruments were employed, the Uppsala Sleep Inventory and Comprehensive Psychopathological Self-rating Scale for Affective Syndromes. The latter assessed symptom burden. Using multiple logistic regression analyses, we examined associations between sleep complaints and suicidality. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of subjects reported some kind of sleep disturbance. The most common complaint was difficulties initiating sleep (73%). Other complaints included difficulties maintaining sleep (69%), nightmares (66%) and early morning awakening (58%). Nightmares were associated with a 5-fold increase in risk for high suicidality. This relationship remained after adjustment for psychiatric diagnosis and psychiatric symptom intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances are common among suicide attempters. Nightmares are associated with suicidality. Our findings suggest that questions concerning sleep disturbance and nightmares should be addressed in the clinical assessment of suicidal patients.     

Analysis of the seasonal pattern in suicide

BACKGROUND: Suicide has been attributed to social and psychological factors but also to geophysical effects. Of the latter, changes in solar radiation and geomagnetic activities may contribute to the frequency and the seasonal pattern of suicides. METHODS: We studied with a population-based, nationwide analysis all the individuals who committed suicide (n=27,469) in Finland during the period of 1979 to 1999. The daily data on the number of suicides, and the mean and maximum levels of geomagnetic activity were compiled and modelled with Poisson regression using the number of inhabitants in each province as the denominator. Time series analysis of monthly numbers of suicides was carried out using a seasonal-trend decomposition procedure. RESULTS: There was a strong seasonal effect on suicide occurrence (P<0.00001), the risk of suicide being greatest in spring. The seasonal effect was most pronounced when the number of suicides was relatively low. High levels of solar radiation activity were associated with the increased risk of suicide (P=0.00001), but the effect of geomagnetic activity was weak. LIMITATIONS: No individual data on alcohol consumption or mental disorders were available. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide occurrence varies markedly by season and needs attention where prevention is concerned.     

Suicide and attempted suicide among older adults in Western Australia

BACKGROUND: Suicide rates are high in later life. Risk factors include male sex and depressive illness. This study investigated the relationship between suicidal behaviour and contact with mental health services among the elderly in Western Australia. METHODS: Record linkage was used to obtain records of hospital admissions and mental health service contacts for all suicide attempts and deaths in the period 1980-95. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated for the elderly, general population and people with mental health service contacts. Cox regression was used to evaluated potential risk factors for elderly people who were in contact with mental health services. RESULTS: People over 60 years of age accounted for 15% of suicides and 4.6% of attempted suicides. Suicide rates were 3.3 times higher in males and 4.4 times higher in females when compared to the general population of elderly people. For attempted suicide, the rate was 5.8 times higher in males and 6.6 times higher in females with prior contact with mental health services. Highest risk of suicide was found in patients with diagnoses of affective psychoses (RR = 3.7), adjustment reaction (RR = 3.2) or depressive disorder (RR = 2.8). The diagnosis of cancer was associated with decreased risk of suicide (RR = 3.6) and attempted suicide (RR = 1.9). CONCLUSIONS: Suicide rates are high among the elderly in Western Australia. Suicide is significantly associated with the diagnosis of mood disorder. Suicide attempts are less common, and are associated most strongly with mood and personality disorders. The decreased risk of self-harm behaviour among patients with cancer warrants further investigation.     

Adolescent attachment security,family functioning,and suicide attempts

Theories of suicidal behavior suggest that the desire to die can arise from disruption of interpersonal relationships. Suicide research has typically studied this from the individual's perspective of the quality/frequency of their social interactions; however, the field of attachment may offer another perspective on understanding an individual's social patterns and suicide risk. This study examined attachment along with broader family functioning (family adaptability and cohesion) among 236 adolescent psychiatric inpatients with (n = 111) and without (n = 125) histories of suicide attempts. On average, adolescents were 14 years of age and Hispanic (69%). Compared to those without suicide attempts, adolescent attempters had lower self-reported maternal and paternal attachment and lower familial adaptability and cohesion. When comparing all three types of attachment simultaneously in the logistic regression model predicting suicide attempt status, paternal attachment was the only significant predictor. Suicide attempt group was also significantly predicted by self-rated Cohesion and Adaptability; neither of the parent ratings of family functioning were significant predictors. These findings are consistent with the predictions of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide about social functioning and support the efforts to develop attachment-based interventions as a novel route towards suicide prevention.     

Risk Factors of Discharged Against Medical Advice among Adolescents Self-inflicted Injury and Attempted Suicide in the Korean Emergency Department

Suicide is a leading cause of death among Korean adolescents. Many suicide attempting adolescents often are discharged against medical advice in the emergency department. The aim of the present study was to determine the risk factors for discharge against medical advice (DAMA) after self-inflicted injury or attempted suicide in the emergency department. We extracted data on adolescents (10-19 yr old) from the national emergency department information system; we used data from 2007 and 2011. A total of 6,394 adolescents visited EDs after self-inflicted injury or attempted suicide. Among these patients, the median age was 17 yr (Interquatile range, 15-18 yr), 83.2% were between 15-19 yr of age, and 63.3% were female. Poisoning was the most common method of attempted suicide, while hanging and fall were the most common methods of fatality. The rate of DAMA from the ED was 22.8%. Independent risk factors for DAMA included female gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.49), older age adolescents (OR, 1.96), residence in a metropolitan/large city area (OR, 1.49), and discharge at night (OR, 1.38). These risk factors should be considered in establishing management and counseling plans for patients discharged against medical advice by community services and EDs.

Graphical Abstract

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Suicidality after traumatic brain injury: demographic,injury and clinical correlates

BACKGROUND: In spite of the high frequency of emotional distress after traumatic brain injury (TBI), few investigations have examined the extreme of such distress, namely, suicidality, and no large scale surveys have been conducted. The current study examined both the prevalence and demographic, injury, and clinical correlates of hopelessness, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts after TBI. METHODS: Out-patients (N = 172) with TBI were screened for suicidal ideation and hopelessness using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Data were also collected on demographic, injury, pre-morbid and post-injury psychosocial variables and included known risk factors for suicide. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of participants had clinically significant levels of hopelessness (35%) and suicide ideation (23%), and 18% had made a suicide attempt post-injury. There was a high degree of co-morbidity between suicide attempts and emotional/psychiatric disturbance. Results from regression analyses indicated that a high level of hopelessness was the most significant association of suicide ideation and a high level of suicide ideation, along with occurrence of post-injury emotional/psychiatric disturbance, were the most significant associations of post-injury suicide attempts. Neither injury severity nor the presence of pre-morbid suicide risk factors contributed to elevated levels of suicidality post-injury. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is a common psychological reaction to TBI among out-patient populations. Management should involve careful history taking of previous post-injury suicidal behaviour, assessment of post-injury adjustment to TBI with particular focus on the degree of emotional/psychiatric disturbance, and close monitoring of those individuals with high levels of hopelessness and suicide ideation.     

The Inventory of Suicide Orientation-30: further validation with adolescent psychiatric inpatients

The present study examined the construct validity of the Inventory of Suicide Orientation-30 (ISO-30; King & Kowalchuk, 1994) with a sample of adolescent psychiatric inpatients. The ISO-30 is designed to assess five dimensions of risk factors related to suicide: hopelessness, suicide ideation, low self-esteem, inability to cope with emotions, and social isolation and withdrawal. Participants included 202 psychiatric hospitalized (106 boys, 96 girls) adolescents, ages 14 to 17 years. Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the fit of the original five-factor oblique model. Reliability estimates of the study measures were adequate. Evidence of discriminant, convergent, and incremental validity estimates of the ISO-30 were strong. Contributions and limitations of the present findings are discussed.     

Do characteristics of patients with major depressive disorder differ between primary and psychiatric care?

BACKGROUND: Despite the need for rational allocation of resources and cooperation between different treatment settings, clinical differences in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) between primary and psychiatric care remain obscure. We investigated these differences in representative patient populations from primary care versus secondary level psychiatric care in the city of Vantaa, Finland. METHOD: We compared MDD patients from primary care in the Vantaa Primary Care Depression Study (PC-VDS) (n=79) with psychiatric out-patients (n=223) and in-patients (n=46) in the Vantaa Depression Study (VDS). DSM-IV diagnoses were assigned by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I in PC-VDS) or Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN in VDS), and SCID-II interviews. Comparable information was collected on depression severity, Axis I and II co-morbidity, suicidal behaviour, preceding clinical course, and attitudes towards and pathways to treatment. RESULTS: Prevalence of psychotic subtype and severity of depression were highest among in-patients, but otherwise few clinical differences between psychiatric and primary care patients were detected. Suicide attempts, alcohol dependence, and cluster A personality disorder were associated with treatment in psychiatric care, whereas cluster B personality disorder was associated with primary care treatment. Patients' choice of the initial point of contact for current depressive symptoms seemed to be independent of prior clinical history or attitude towards treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Severe, suicidal and psychotic depression cluster in psychiatric in-patient settings, as expected. However, MDD patients in primary care or psychiatric out-patient settings may not differ markedly in their clinical characteristics. This apparent blurring of boundaries between treatment settings calls for enhanced cooperation between settings, and clearer and more structured division of labour.     

Hospital characteristics associated with post-discharge suicide of severely depressed patients

PURPOSE: To explore risk factors, such as characteristics of psychiatrist, patient and hospital at index hospitalization, associated with depressed patients who committed suicide within 3 months of discharge using a case-control design. METHODS: By linking the Taiwanese nationwide mortality database and the National Health Insurance dataset, all hospitalized patients with major depression who committed suicide within a 90-day period post-discharge during the years 2002-2004 were selected as a study cohort (n=85). We randomly selected 425 cases (five for every case in the study cohort) that were matched with the study cohort in terms of age, gender and date of discharge as a control cohort. Cox proportional hazard regression was carried out to compute the adjusted 90-day survival rate after adjusting for other factors. RESULTS: The majority of suicide occurred 30 days after discharge from hospitals, with a mean of 29.9 days. The adjusted hazard for committing suicide after hospital discharge for patients who left on their own initiative was 2.85 times (95% CI=1.387-5.856, p=0.004) greater than for those who were discharged with doctors' approval. Furthermore, the adjusted hazard for patients who were discharged from medical centers was higher than for patients discharged from regional hospitals, by a multiple of 3.38 (95% CI=1.421-8.055, p=0.006). LIMITATIONS: Some patient-specific predictors of post-discharge suicide, such as suicidal ideation prior to admission, recent life events and social relationships with close relatives were not available. CONCLUSION: We conclude that, in addition to patient characteristics, hospital characteristics also constitute important risk factors for suicide within 90 days of discharge for depressed patients.     

Does type of first contact in depressive and bipolar disorders predict subsequent hospitalisation and risk of suicide?

BACKGROUND: Only a few studies have investigated how the type of first contact is associated with the risk of subsequent hospitalisation and the risk of committing suicide for patients with depressive or bipolar disorders. METHOD: All outpatients (patients in psychiatric ambulatories and community psychiatry centres) and in-patients (patients admitted during daytime or overnight to a psychiatric hospital) with a diagnosis of depressive or bipolar disorder at first contact ever in a period from 1995 to 1999 in Denmark were identified from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register (DPCRR). The risk of subsequent hospitalisation and the risk of suicide were compared according to type of first contact. RESULTS: The risk of subsequent hospitalisation was significantly increased for patients who were admitted to inpatient facilities during first contact compared to patients with outpatient treatment as their first contact. Patients with depressive disorder who were admitted also had increased risk of committing suicide eventually. LIMITATIONS: The diagnoses are clinician based. CONCLUSIONS: Patients referred to inpatient treatment have a poorer long-term prognosis than patients treated as outpatients.     

Psychiatric care of suicides in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND: Though psychiatric patients have high suicidal risks, relatively little is known about the pattern of psychiatric care they received, especially in a non-Western setting. METHODS: Territory-wide record linkage study of computerised psychiatric records of suicide cases according to coroner's verdicts. RESULTS: Only 1/4 of the suicide population received psychiatric care in Hong Kong. These patient suicides differed from general population suicide in the distribution of sex, age, and suicide methods. Suicides are more common during the periods of in-patient care and immediately post discharge. Among these patient suicides, recent contacts with psychiatrists before their lethal acts were common. LIMITATIONS: Proportion of patients that received psychiatric care could be underestimates because private psychiatric patients and persons who immigrated were not counted. No clinical data are available from the record linkage. CONCLUSIONS: A wider coverage of psychiatric care to the suicidal population is required through improved accessibility and public health education. A smooth transition of care after discharge, active case tracing, and improved in-patient care should be considered.