Characteristics of Patients who Died by Suicide in a Community Mental Health Center.

Nah, Gihoi; Choi, Seunggi; Kim, Honey; Lee, Ju Yeon; Kim, Jae Min; Shin, Il Seon; Yoon, Jin Sang; Kim, Sung Wan

doi:2017.20.2.55

Korean J Schizophr Res > Volume 20(2); 2017 > Article

Original Article

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research 2017;20(2):55-60.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16946/kjsr.2017.20.2.55 Published online October 31, 2017.

Characteristics of Patients who Died by Suicide in a Community Mental Health Center.

Gihoi Nah, Seunggi Choi, Honey Kim, Ju Yeon Lee, Jae Min Kim, Il Seon Shin, Jin Sang Yoon, Sung Wan Kim

¹Gwangju Bukgu Community Mental Health Center, Gwangju, Korea. swkim@chonnam.ac.kr
²Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
³Gwangju Mental Health Commission, Gwangju, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Severe mental illness is a major risk factor for suicide. This study aimed to identify characteristics of patients who died by suicide among subjects who had been received service from a community mental health center.
METHODS
We searched individuals who had committed suicide in Gwangju Bukgu Community Mental Health Center since 2006. Sociodemographic and clinical data were gathered from medical records and their case managers and they were compared with those of general members in the center. Characteristics of schizophrenia patients who died by suicide were particularly summarized.
RESULTS
Twelve person committed suicide between 2006 and 2016. The characteristics of those who died by suicide were male (67%), diagnosis of schizophrenia (75%), aged below 50 (83%), unemployed (92%), past history of psychiatric hospitalization (100%), recent admission within 3 months (67%), past history of suicidal attempt (78%), family history of schizophrenia (58%), poor adherence to medication (58%), and use of daily rehabilitation program (42%). Ten out of twelve (83%) showed warning sign for suicide. All identified method of suicide in patients with schizophrenia was jumping from high building. Many patients with schizophrenia, who committed suicide, suffered from comorbid depressive symptoms (67%) and auditory hallucination (78%).
CONCLUSION
Case managers should pay attention to and carefully manage individuals who showed suicidal warning, particularly with risk factors for suicide, such as unemployment, admission state or recent discharge from psychiatric hospital, poor adherence to medication, family history of schizophrenia, and a history of suicidal attempt.

Key Words: Suicide · Schizophrenia · Community mental health center · Psychological autopsy · Case management