Study Of Suicidality And Suicide Behavior Among Individuals With Long-Standing Duration Of Schizophrenia In India: An Explorative Study
- Author:
Amresh K Shrivastava
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Schizophrenia, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Suicidal Behaviour, PANSS
- From:ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry
2016;17(2):179-187
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Suicide is a common occurrence in schizophrenia and is seen in all
phases of the illness. Early identification of patients who are more likely to
attempt suicide may help in suicide prevention among patients with
schizophrenia. The present study was aimed at determining the clinical
differences and differences in demographic and risk factors in patients with
schizophrenia that attempt suicide and those that do not. Methods: A total of
200 consecutive follow-up patients having schizophrenia were assessed clinically
for variables related to suicide and suicidal behaviour in the outpatient
department of a tertiary psychiatry centre. All patients were administered the
Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia to assess
clinical symptoms and severity while the Clinical Global Impression – Severity
(CGI-S) scale was also used. Results: Out of the 200 patients studied, 38% (n =
76) patients had made one severe suicide attempt by excluding parasuicide or
deliberate self-harm at least once, and 9.5% (n = 19) had attempted suicide more
than three times. More patients with a suicide attempt showed good clinical
outcome (CGI ≥ 3) (42.1% versus 33.0%, χ
2 = 1.040, p = 0.301). The patients who
attempted suicide were predominantly male, with a mean age of 34.2 years.
Lesser number of them was single (32.89% vs. 43.5%, χ
2 = 1.814, p = 0.178).
Their duration of illness was shorter (9.6 years versus 11.4 years, t = 2.8841, p =
0.0043) and more patients with attempted suicide had higher scores on negative
symptoms scales of PANSS (t=2.1122, p = 0.035) at the time of assessment.
Conclusions: The findings in our research warrant the need studying suicide in
schizophrenia in larger samples and to replicate our findings and also determine
methods to reduce the incidence of suicide in schizophrenia via interventional
programmes. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 17 (2): July – December 2016:
XX XX.
- Full text:P020170619560008884650.pdf
