Suicide in schizophrenia: A fourteen-year survey in an English health district

INTRODUCTION: To determine the suicide rate among patients with schizophrenia within the Rotherham health district and identify any possible risk factors for suicide in this population. METHOD: Retrospective survey of the Coroner's data and of the psychiatric records within both the community and hospital-based psychiatric services. RESULTS: Eleven suicides were identified during the years 1984-1997 who had a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This represents a suicide rate of between 86 and 280 per 100 000, depending on the prevalence of schizophrenia within the population. This is 8-27 times as high as the rate for the general population of the district. CONCLUSION: Suicide in schizophrenia remains an uncommon event despite the increased risk. This presents problems for the assessment of the efficacy of suicide prevention strategies at the level of the average-sized health district or psychiatric department. (Int J Psych Clin Pract 2000; 4:143-146)