Jan Beskow

The suicidal process in suicides among young people

Runeson BS, Beskow J, Waern M. The suicidal process in suicides among young people. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1996: 93: 35–42.

Suicidal feelings in the last year of life in elderly people who commit suicide

We examined suicidal feelings noted by doctors and by relatives of 85 elderly (> or = 65 years) people who died by suicide. When depression is suspected in an elderly patient, suicidal feelings should be assessed even during follow-up treatment.

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER IN YOUNG SWEDISH SUICIDES

Fifty-eight consecutive suicides committed between 1984 and 1987 by adolescents and young adults (ages 15 to 29 years) in an urban community were the subject of retrospective investigation through interviews with survivors and analyses of medical records. Classification in accordance with DSM-III-R showed a large proportion of axis II disorders. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) was found in 19 subjects (33%). When compared with subjects with other disorders, BPD subjects showed more antisocial traits and substance use disorders. Early parental absence, substance abuse in the homes, employment and financial problems, lack of a permanent residence, and sentence by court were also more frequent in BPD subjects.

High rate of antidepressant treatment in elderly people who commit suicide

The strong role of affective illness in suicides late in life has been shown repeatedly.1 The prevailing view is that suicide in the elderly is primarily a question of undiagnosed, untreated depression.2 3 During recent years antidepressants which are better tolerated by elderly people have been introduced. We therefore examined cases of suicide among elderly people to see whether they had been taking antidepressants. Seventy five Scandinavian born people aged 65 or over (40 men, 35 women) committed suicide and were examined by the Goteborg Institute of Forensic Medicine from January 1994 to July 1995. The median age was 73 years (range 65–97). Sixty suicides were classified as certain—that is, there was no doubt of suicidal intention according to the forensic examiner (ICD9, E950-959)—and 15 …

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMME AND RAILWAY SUICIDE

Suicidal behaviour is a public health problem closely related to other problems such as mental illness, abuse, violence and accidents. This approach is illustrated by the prevention of railway suicides. A theoretical framework is sketched, which allows for the use of principles from injury prevention in the prevention of suicide. ICD-9 encoded death certificates from 1974, 1980, 1986 and 1987 which concerned suicides and undetermined deaths on roads and railways were analysed (N = 294). Additional data were collected from autopsy, police and hospital protocols and from interviews with engine-drivers. Railroad victims dominated the sample (78% of cases). The mean age was 42 yr. Alcohol was detected in 27% of cases, drugs in 36% and severe illness (mostly psychiatric) in 57%. The relationship between types of collision and nature of injury is discussed. Environmental changes, such as changing the locomotive front design, are suggested as strategies for reducing accidents and suicides on railways.