A case-control study on attempted suicide

Objective To assess the independent risk factors of attempted suicide and the importance of mental illness as a risk factor. Methods Detailed assessments of 152 suicide attempters treated in general hospitals and 152 matched controls through questionaires. Results The rate of mental illness in the suicide attempters' group was significantly higher than that in the control group (37.7% versus 4.0 %, paired Chi square= 45.45 , P 0.001 ). Conditional logistic regression identified three independent predictors of suicidal behavior: severe acute stress ( OR = 67.47 , 95% CI : 8.85 514.56 ), presence of mental illness ( OR = 13.85 , 95% CI : 2.01 95.55 ), and immense psychological effect of negative life events in the prior year ( OR = 5.30 , 95% CI : 1.12 26.08 ). Conclusion Mental illness is an important risk factor of attempted suicide, but not an essential pre condition of suicide attempts. It is important to establish a national suicide prevention plan that which is pertinent to the conditions in China.