TY - JOUR
TI - A 2-Year Psychological Autopsy Study of Completed Suicides in the Athens
Greater Area, Greece
AU - Paraschakis, Antonios
AU - Michopoulos, Ioannis
AU - Christodoulou,
AU - Christos
AU - Koutsaftis, Filippos
AU - Lykouras, Lefteris
AU - Douzenis,
AU - Athanassios
JO - Psychiatry Investigation
PY - 2015
VL - 12
TODO - 2
SP - 212-217
PB - Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
SN - null
TODO - 10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.212
TODO - Psychological autopsy; Completed suicides; Athens greater area; Greece
TODO - Objective To study the characteristics of a sample of suicide victims
from the Athens Greater Area using the psychological autopsy method for
the first time in Greece.
Methods We studied all recorded cases of completed suicide for the
2-year time period November 2007 October 2009 collecting data from the
victims’ forensic records as well as from the completion of a
psychological autopsy questionnaire.
Results 335 persons were recorded as suicide victims. We contacted
relatives of 256 victims interviewing those of 248 of them (96.9%). The
differences regarding sex, marital and employment status between our
sample and the general population were statistically significant
(p<0.001). The male/female ratio was 3:1. Comparatively more victims
were divorced, separated or single and a greater proportion were
pensioners or unemployed. 26.0% of the victims had history of prior
attempts (64.4% once, 20.3% twice and 15.3% more times). 42.6% were
taking psychiatric medication-significantly more women than men
according to blood tests; 14.2% had been hospitalized in a psychiatric
clinic the year prior to their death. 84.8% have deceased at the place
of suicide and 15.2% died in the hospital; 80.3% died indoors and
19.7% outdoors. Men died primarily by hanging or shooting by a firearm
while women preferred jumping from height instead (p<0.001). As many as
48.8% had expressed their intention to die to their relatives; 26.6%
left a suicide note.
Conclusion Our study has shown that the psychological autopsy method is
applicable and widely accepted yielding results comparable to the
international literature. Specific parameters associated with suicide
have been studied for the first time in Greece.
ER -