Attempted suicide by jumping: Clinical and social features

Kontaxakis, V.P.; Markidis, M.; Vaslamatzis, Grigoris; Ioannidis, H.; Stefanis, Costas N.

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1988.tb05146.x

Cited by 22 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…In a study examining 22 recorded attempted suicides by jumping, 21 were linked to psychiatric illness. 12 This ®nding is corroborated by Kontaxakis et al 13 who identi®ed that of a sample of individuals who attempted suicide by jumping, 72% demonstrated either`aective psychosis-depressive type' or`schizophrenic psychosis'. Certainly jumping is an extremely violent means of suicide, and it has been suggested that individuals using it should be considered as having high suicidal intention.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 71%

“…18 One possible explanation for the higher representation of people in this study who have schizophrenia concerns the method of attempted suicide, whereby individuals who have schizophrenia are over represented in a population of people who`j ump or fall'. 13 Within this sample, 85% of people had sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of deceleration. However, whilst psychiatric diagnoses were made for 81% (n=111) of the sample, these diagnoses were identi®ed in reports and case notes dating between 1951 and 1992.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Certainly jumping is an extremely violent means of suicide, and it has been suggested that individuals using it should be considered as having high suicidal intention. 13 In a 3 year prospective study of suicidal attempts by jumping, Bostman 14 found that 11% of the sample acquired spinal cord injuries and 16% died within 24 h.As existing research has typically relied on small samples of individuals and has often failed to distinguish between those individuals who sustained SCI as a result of attempted suicide and those who ®rst attempted suicide following SCI, the primary aims of this study were: to ascertain the demographic details of 137 individuals who had acquired their SCI as a result of deliberate self harm; explore and identify the type of psychiatric condition evident around the time of the attempt; and to review outcome information of the sample, with speci®c focus on mortality, especially further evidence of suicide or suicide attempt. …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spinal cord injuries and attempted suicide: a retrospective review

et al. 1999

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Study design: A retrospective review examining the cases of 137 individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) as a result of a suicide attempt between 1951 ± 1992. Objective: To ascertain demographic details of this participant sample, explore and identify the type of psychiatric condition evident around the time of injury, and to review outcome information of this sample with speci®c focus on mortality, especially further evidence of deliberate self harm. Summary of background data: Research examining suicide rates in SCI populations has found such numbers to be signi®cantly higher than in the general population. However, these studies have typically relied on small samples of individuals and have often failed to distinguish between those individuals who sustained SCI as a result of attempted suicide, and those who ®rst attempted suicide following SCI. Methods: An established database comprising details of 137 people with SCI as a result of attempted suicide was reviewed and updated using patient admission records. The subsequent database comprised: cause, level and completeness of injury; height fallen; psychiatric history; psychiatric diagnosis; date of last contact; further suicide attempts; religious aliation; previous and present employment; date and cause of death; date and place of discharge; and any other relevant details. From this database the three primary objectives of the study were ascertained: demographic detail; psychiatric condition; and outcome information. Results:The ratio of males to females was 1 : 1 with a mean age of 32. Almost half (48.9%) were single, around a third (32.8%) had children and 42.3% were employed. Schizophrenia and depression were evident in 32.8% and 27% of cases respectively. Previous suicide attempts had been made by 23% (n=32). The cause of injury in 85% of cases was`falls'. Thirty-three people are known to have died, of whom eight (24%) committed suicide. During the period between the ®rst and last spinal cord injury examined within this study (1951 ± 1992) 1.6% (n=137) of the total sample of patients treated at the rehabilitation centre (n=8347) sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of a suicide attempt. Conclusion: Signi®cant ®ndings include; a high proportion of patients with schizophrenia; similar ®ndings concerning age pro®le and level of injuries with previous research, but dierent sex ratio; and information on longer-term outcomes. Recommendations for further research include an adaptation of the psychological autopsy approach which would provide information beyond that normally available in actual suicides.Keywords: spinal cord injury; attempted suicide; retrospective review IntroductionIt is estimated that suicide accounts for 2% of all male deaths and 1% of all female deaths within the general population.1 Recent research suggests that the age distribution of suicide has changed, whereby males under the age of 45 years are now at a greater risk than older males.1 In SCI populations, death as a result of suicide is two to six times more prevalent than in t...

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spinal cord injuries and attempted suicide: a retrospective review

et al. 1999

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“…Les données de la littérature regroupant l'ensemble des cas de précipitation mentionnent en général une prédominance de patients présentant des psychopathologies sévères (schizophrénie, maladie dépressive majeure) [8][9][10][11]. Cependant, certains auteurs n'ont trouvé aucune différence entre les groupes de suicidants quant à leur psychopathologie [12].…”

Section: Discussion Epidémiologieunclassified